Short Story Reviews
In The Man I Killed by Tim O’Brien we have the theme of letting go, tradition, time, rationality and acceptance. Taken from his The Things They Carried collection the story is narrated in the first person by O’Brien himself and after reading the story the reader realises that O’Brien may be exploring the theme of letting go. Despite the passing […]
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In The Dentist by Tim O’Brien we have the theme of ego, connection, appearance, fear, masculinity and embarrassment. Taken from his The Things They Carried collection the story is narrated in the first person by O’Brien himself and after reading the story the reader realises that O’Brien may be exploring the theme of ego. Curt Lemon appears to like bragging […]
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In On the Rainy River by Tim O’Brien we have the theme of responsibility, fear, connection, bravery and guilt. Taken from his The Things They Carried collection the story is narrated in the first person by O’Brien himself and after reading the story the reader realises that O’Brien may be exploring the theme of responsibility. O’Brien does not fully understand […]
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In Friends by Tim O’Brien we have the theme of trust, friendship, connection and desperation. Taken from his The Things They Carried collection the story is narrated in the first person by O’Brien himself and from the beginning of the story the reader realises that O’Brien may be exploring the theme of trust. Jensen and Strunk are not yet friends […]
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In Enemies by Tim O’Brien we have the theme of conflict, stress, fear and revenge. Taken from his The Things They Carried collection the story is narrated in the first person by O’Brien himself and from the beginning of the story the reader realises that O’Brien may be exploring the theme of conflict. Jensen and Strunk are fighting which in […]
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In the short story In Passion Week by Anton Chekhov we have the theme of order, fear, escape, connection, innocence and conflict. Taken from his The Complete Short Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by an eight year old boy called Fedya and from the beginning of the story it becomes clear to the reader that […]
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In The Album by Anton Chekhov we have the theme of authority, ego, corruption, appearance, selfishness, respect and ignorance. Taken from his The Complete 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 Chekhov may be exploring the theme of authority. Kraterov is […]
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In Mr Sumarsono by Roxana Robinson we have the theme of dislocation, absenteeism, happiness, escape, tradition and change. Taken from her Asking for Love collection the story is narrated in the first person by a young girl called Susan. Susan without her knowing it is the main character in the story. It is through her that we not only learn […]
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In The Distant Past by William Trevor we have the theme of loyalty, identity, prejudice, conflict, fear and alienation. Taken from his Angels at the Ritz 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 Trevor may be exploring the theme of loyalty. Despite […]
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In Bella Makes Life by Lorna Goodison we have the theme of liberation, change, control, conflict, selfishness and fear. Taken from her Baby Mother and the King of Swords collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story it becomes clear to the reader that Goodison may be exploring the theme […]
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In The Ultimate Safari by Nadine Gordimer we have the theme of loss, fear, displacement, struggle and hope. Taken from her Jump and Other Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by a young black girl and from the beginning of the story it becomes clear to the reader that Gordimer is exploring the theme of loss. […]
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In American Dreams by Peter Carey we have the theme of conflict, art, reality, cultural dependency and guilt. Taken from his The Fat Man in History collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed young man and from the beginning of the story it becomes clear to the reader that Carey may be exploring the theme […]
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In Storm Petrel by Romesh Gunesekera we have the theme of aspirations, conflict, memories, enthusiasm, failure and friendship. Taken from his Monkfish Moon collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed man and from the beginning of the story the reader realises that Gunesekera may be exploring the theme of aspirations and dreams. CK’s head is […]
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In The End of the World by Mavis Gallant we have the theme of dislocation, alienation selfishness, infidelity, compassion, hopelessness, responsibility, loyalty and acceptance. Taken from her The End of the World and Other Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by a man called Billy Apostolesco and the reader realises from the beginning of the story […]
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In A Country Cottage by Anton Chekhov we have the theme of happiness, love, conflict, anger and acceptance. Taken from his The Complete 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 Chekhov may be exploring the theme of happiness. Sasha and Varya […]
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In Gone Astray by Anton Chekhov we have the theme of mistaken identity, breaking-in, confusion and hopelessness. Taken from his The Complete 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 Chekhov may be exploring the theme of mistaken identity. Kozyavkin has mistaken […]
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In The Head of the Family by Anton Chekhov we have the theme of depression, failure, domestic abuse, fear and paralysis. Taken from his The Complete 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 Chekhov may be exploring the theme of depression. […]
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In the short story In A Hotel by Anton Chekhov we have the theme of hostility, powerlessness, class, marriage, appearance, change and redemption. Taken from his The Complete Short Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and from the beginning of the story it becomes clear to the reader that Chekhov may be […]
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In Sorrow by Anton Chekhov we have the theme of desperation, struggle, guilt, cruelty, hope, loss and self-pity. Taken from his The Complete Short Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and from the beginning of the story it becomes clear to the reader that Chekhov may be exploring the theme of desperation. […]
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In A Service of Love by O. Henry we have the theme of love, art, desperation, connection and honesty. Taken from his Selected Short Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story it becomes clear to the reader that Henry may be exploring the theme of love. Joe and […]
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In Tandy by Sherwood Anderson we have the theme of belief, loneliness, self-image, influence, identity and hope. Taken from his Winesburg, Ohio collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Anderson may be exploring the theme of belief. Tom Hard is agnostic and tries to persuade […]
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In A Man of Ideas by Sherwood Anderson we have the theme of helplessness, fear, respect, trust, connection, pride and freedom. Taken from his Winesburg, Ohio collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and from the beginning of the story it becomes clear to the reader that Anderson may be exploring the theme of […]
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In Snapshot of a Dog by James Thurber we have the theme of memories, loyalty, determination, love, connection and pride. Taken from his The Middle-Aged Man on the Flying Trapeze collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator and from the beginning of the story the reader realises that Thurber may be exploring the theme […]
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In Nine Needles by James Thurber we have the theme of anger, control, fear, courage, patriarchy and embarrassment. Taken from his Let Your Mind Alone collection the story is narrated by Thurber himself and from the beginning of the story it becomes clear to the reader that Thurber may be exploring the theme of anger. Mr Albatross is angry about […]
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In Sugar Baby by Chinua Achebe we have the theme of addiction, friendship, control, frustration and anger. Taken from his Girls at War collection the story is narrated in the first person by a man called Mike and after reading the story the reader realises that Achebe is exploring the theme of addiction. Cletus is addicted to sugar. In fact […]
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