Short Story Reviews
In The Other Side of the Hedge by E.M. Forster we have the theme of acceptance, letting go, conflict and failure. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Forster may be exploring the theme of acceptance. The narrator does not accept the position he finds himself in. He has went […]
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In Sparrows by K.A. Abbas we have the theme of cruelty, fear, resentment, tradition, connection, redemption and change. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises from the beginning of the story that Abbas may be exploring the theme of cruelty. As Rahim is walking home his neighbours silently talk about how cruel he has been […]
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In The Dream by W. Somerset Maugham we have the theme of appearance, fear, uncertainty, trust, insecurity and infidelity. Taken from his Collected Short Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Maugham may be exploring the theme of appearance. The narrator does not believe […]
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In Bread by Margaret Atwood we have the theme of perception, connection, control, greed and change. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Atwood may be exploring the theme of perception and change. It is as though by her continued use of the word ‘imagine’ in each paragraph that Atwood […]
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In Forbidden Love by Can Themba we have the theme of fear, love, apartheid, hypocrisy, defiance and acceptance. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises from the beginning of the story that Themba may be exploring the theme of fear. Dora’s family live their life in fear. An irrational fear of having any involvement with […]
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In Like the Sun by R.K. Narayan we have the theme of honesty, conflict, anger, change and rejection. Taken from his Under the Banyan Tree and Other Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and from the beginning of the story the reader realises that Narayan may be exploring the theme of honesty. […]
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In A Job Well Done by Ruskin Bond we have the theme of connection, conflict, fear, control, freedom and revenge. Taken from his Collected Short Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by a man who is looking back at a period in his life when he was eight years old. From the beginning of the story […]
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In Toba Tek Singh by Saadat Hasan Manto we have the theme of confusion, identity, separation, change, control and ignorance. Taken from his Kingdom’s End and Other Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Manto may be exploring the theme of confusion. None of […]
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In The Dog of Tithwal by Saadat Hasan Manto we have the theme of conflict, connection, ignorance, pride and struggle. Taken from his Kingdom’s End and Other Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and from the beginning of the story the reader realises that Manto through the setting may be exploring the […]
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In Africa Kills Her Sun by Ken Saro-Wiwa we have the theme of corruption, acceptance, connection, honour and love. Narrated in the first person in the form of an epistolary narrative the reader realises after reading the story that Saro-Wiwa may be exploring the theme of corruption. Throughout Bana’s letter to Zole he mentions the corruption that exists in not […]
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In The Parrot in the Cage by Mulk Raj Anand we have the theme of conflict, desperation, loneliness, hopelessness and struggle. Taken from his Selected Short Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and from the beginning of the story the reader realises that Anand may be exploring the theme of conflict. Rukmaniai […]
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In All Creatures Great and Small by Ruskin Bond we have the theme of connection, affection, friendship, anger, power and preservation. Taken from his Collected Short Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed man and after reading the story the reader realises that Bond may be exploring theme of connection. When the narrator was […]
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In Mabel by W. Somerset Maugham we have the theme of determination, despair, fear, appearance, devotion, escape, love, responsibility and struggle. Taken from his Collected Short Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Maugham may be exploring the theme of determination. Nothing stops Mabel […]
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In To Build a Fire by Jack London we have the theme of struggle, obedience, stubbornness, arrogance, nature, conflict, survival and acceptance. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that London may be exploring the theme of struggle. The man at the centre of the story does not find it easy […]
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In A Devoted Son by Anita Desai we have the theme of gratitude, desire, change, longing, choice, freedom, defiance, loyalty, powerlessness and reliance. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Desai may be exploring the theme of gratitude. Though some might suggest that Varma should be grateful for the attention […]
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In A Sister’s Confession by Guy de Maupassant we have theme of jealousy, love, forgiveness, loneliness, guilt, loss, freedom, sacrifice and connection. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that de Maupassant may be exploring the theme of jealousy. Marguerite when she was younger was jealous of Suzanne’s relationship with Henry. […]
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In The Coral Tree by Ruskin Bond we have the theme of connection, innocence, sadness, conflict, aspirations, isolation and loneliness. Taken from his Collected Short Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed male and after reading the story the reader realises that Bond may be exploring the theme of connection. The narrator and the […]
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In The Photograph by Ruskin Bond we have the theme of memories, identity, change, equality, acceptance, independence and freedom. Taken from his Collected Short Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by a man looking back on an incident when he was ten years old and after reading the story the reader realises that Bond may be […]
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In The Woman on Platform No. 8 by Ruskin Bond we have the theme of identity, kindness, freedom, independence, loss, trust and connection. Taken from his Collected Short Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by a man called Arun who is recalling an incident when he was twelve years old. In which he encountered a woman […]
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In George Silverman’s Explanation by Charles Dickens we have the theme of poverty, change, class, selflessness, love, sacrifice, control and acceptance. Narrated in the first person by a man called George Silverman the reader realises from the beginning of the story that Dickens may be exploring the theme of poverty. George as a child had a horrific upbringing. Often beaten […]
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In Indian Summer of an Uncle by P.G. Wodehouse we have the theme of class, conflict, control, responsibility and escape. Narrated in the first person by a man called Bertram (Bertie) Wooster the reader realises after reading the story that Wodehouse may be exploring the theme of class. Aunt Agatha is a little bit more than disappointed that George intends […]
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In The Melancholy Hussar of the German Legion by Thomas Hardy we have the theme of selfishness, conflict, commitment, freedom, social opinion, independence and love. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Hardy may be exploring the theme of selfishness. Humphrey throughout the story thinks of nobody but himself. He […]
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In Sharmaji by Anjana Appachana we have the theme of conflict, tradition, modernity, disillusion and escape. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises from the beginning of the story that Appachana may be exploring the theme of conflict. Sharma is late for work and is being questioned by Mahesh. What is interesting about the initial […]
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In The Lady’s Maid’s Bell by Edith Wharton we have the theme of jealousy, connection, selfishness, uncertainty, helplessness, isolation, loneliness, respect and loyalty. Narrated in the first person by a woman called Alice Hartley the reader realises after reading the story that Wharton may be exploring the theme of jealousy. Mr Brympton appears to be jealous of his wife’s relationship […]
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In The Little Regiment by Stephen Crane we have the theme of conflict, love, responsibility, pride, vulnerability and camaraderie. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises from the beginning of the story that Crane may be using the setting of the story to explore the theme of conflict. Set during the American Civil War both […]
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