Short Story Reviews
In Winston by Lauren Mullings we have the theme of hardship, bullying, racism, deflection, anxiety, acceptance and coming of age. Narrated in the first person by Mullings herself the reader realizes after reading the story that Mullings may be exploring the theme of hardship. Mullings finds it difficult to co-exist with some of her classmates. […]
Read moreIn Her Mother’s Daughter by Nyadol Nyuon we have the theme of sacrifice, identity, separation, racism, pride, freedom, connection and belonging. Narrated in the first person by Nyuon herself it becomes clear to the reader after reading the story that Nyuon may be exploring the theme of sacrifice. Nyuon’s father gave his life during the […]
Read moreIn Blending Families by Shona Kambarami we have the theme of racism, prejudice, connection, ignorance and acceptance. Narrated in the first person by Kambarami herself the reader realizes from the opening sentence of the story that Kambarami may be exploring the theme of racism. Kambarami feels as though Ben (Him’s father) is a racist even […]
Read moreIn The Lemon Orchard by Alex la Guma we have the theme of racism, discrimination, hierarchy and injustice. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that la Guma may be exploring the theme of racism and discrimination. The coloured man who is described by his captor’s […]
Read moreIn The Displaced Person by Flannery O’Connor we have the theme of displacement, social order and racism. Taken from her A Good Man is Hard to Find collection the story is set on Mrs McIntyre’s farm and is split into three different sections. The first section deals with the arrival of Mr Guizac and his […]
Read moreIn What Happened by Austin Clarke we have the theme of racism, love, friendship, education, idealism, realism and anger. Taken from his When He Was Free and Young and He Used to Wear Silks collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realizes […]
Read moreIn Revelation by Flannery O’Connor we have the theme of judgement, grace and racism. Taken from her Everything That Rises Must Converge collection the story is narrated in the third person and begins with the main protagonist, Mrs Turpin looking for a seat in a doctor’s waiting room. Her husband Claud has what Mrs Turpin […]
Read moreIn Wrecking Ball by Benjamin Law we have the theme of memories, appearance, acceptance, racism, struggle, letting go and moving on. Taken from his The Family Law collection the story is narrated in the first person by Law himself and from the beginning of the story the reader realizes that Law may be exploring the […]
Read moreIn Désirée’s Baby by Kate Chopin we have the theme of identity, racism, gender and shame. Taken from her Bayou Folk collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and after first reading the story the reader realises how important the title of the story is. By associating the baby […]
Read moreIn The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie we have the theme of connection, materialism, social opinion, independence, identity, loneliness and racism. Taken from her collection of the same name the story is narrated in the second person by a young woman called Akunna and after reading the story the reader realises that […]
Read moreIn Going for Bread by Patricia Grace we have the theme of fear, bullying, ignorance, anger, racism, conflict, struggle and love. Narrated in the third person by an unknown narrator the reader realizes from the beginning of the story that Grace may be exploring the theme of fear. Mereana is afraid to walk down the […]
Read moreIn Wei-Lei and Me by Aditi Gouvernel we have the theme of racism, bullying, acceptance, appearance, aspirations, friendship and freedom. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed woman the reader realises from the beginning of the story that Gouvernel may be exploring the theme of racism and bullying. There is no doubt that Barry […]
Read moreIn Once Upon a Time by Nadine Gordimer we have the theme of apartheid, equality, racism, insecurity, freedom, innocence, control and fear. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator (writer) the reader realises after reading the story that Gordimer may be exploring the theme of apartheid. The couple and their son live in […]
Read moreIn Berry by Langston Hughes we have the theme of connection, racism, dishonesty, greed, acceptance, compassion and responsibility. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Hughes may be exploring the theme of connection. Milberry through his efforts at the Home manages to connect with the […]
Read moreIn I Have a Dream by Martin Luther King, Jr. we have the theme of freedom, hope, inequality, segregation, dignity and racism. Taken from his speech which was delivered at the Lincoln Monument, Washington D.C. on 28th August 1963 the reader realises after reading the speech that King may be exploring the theme of freedom. […]
Read moreIn Potato Country by Kirsty Marillier we have the theme of struggle, conflict, sadness, racism, change and hope. Narrated in the first person by Marillier herself the reader realizes from the beginning of the story that Marillier may be exploring the theme of struggle. Marillier’s family struggles to get by and her father wants to […]
Read moreIn The Black Ball by Ralph Ellison we have the theme of struggle, equality, hope and connection. Narrated in the first person by a man called John the reader realises after reading the story that Ellison may be exploring the theme of struggle. John seems to struggle through life. He is conscious of the fact […]
Read moreIn The Taipan by W. Somerset Maugham we have the theme of wealth, appreciation, loss, racism, bitterness, arrogance and fear. Taken from his Collected Short Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that the main protagonist doesn’t appreciate the life […]
Read moreIn The Asian Disease by Simone Lazaroo we have the theme of struggle, suspicion, racism, discrimination, fear, acceptance, confusion and pride. Narrated in the first person by a woman called Miss Nazario the reader realizes from the beginning of the story that Lazaroo may be exploring the theme of struggle. Emanuel is suffering the later […]
Read moreIn Sticks and Stones and Such-like by Sunil Badami we have the theme of identity, confusion, racism, heritage, innocence, pride, belonging and acceptance. Narrated in the first person by Badami himself the reader realizes after reading the story that Badami may be exploring the theme of identity. Badami, when he was growing up in Australia, […]
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