Short Story Reviews
In The Gulf by Geraldine McCaughrean we have the theme of escape, frustration, disappointment, hope, happiness, fear, freedom, gratitude and unselfishness. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises from the beginning of the story that McCaughrean may be exploring the theme of escape. Juan is on the run from his […]
Read moreIn The Great Secret by George H. Smith we have the theme of blackmail, fear, control, power and secrecy. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises from the beginning of the story that Smith is exploring the theme of blackmail. Neither Bolasky nor Waters are able to figure out as […]
Read moreIn A Grave Misunderstanding by Leon Garfield we have the theme of connection, suspicion, loneliness, loyalty, confusion, fear and paralysis. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed dog the reader realises after reading the story that Garfield may be exploring the theme of connection. The narrator’s owner and the ghost make a connection. It […]
Read moreIn Voodoo by Fredric Brown we have the theme of separation, hate, greed, trust, confidence and freedom. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises from the beginning of the story that Brown may be exploring the theme of separation. Both Mr and Mrs Decker’s marriage is over. Yet due to […]
Read moreIn Life by Bessie Head we have the theme of optimism, freedom, passion, control, murder, patriarchy, pride and independence. Taken from her The Collector of Treasures collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and from the beginning of the story the reader realises that Head may be exploring the […]
Read moreIn On Umbrella Morals by A.G. Gardiner we have the theme of honesty, morality, guilt, appearance, acceptance and social opinion. Taken from his Pebbles on the Shore collection the reader realises after reading the essay that Gardiner may be exploring the theme of honesty. For Gardiner there are two types of honesty. One in whereby […]
Read moreIn Love by Guy de Maupassant we have the theme of memory, love, contentment, happiness and ignorance. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator it becomes clear to the reader from the beginning of the story that de Maupassant has written a memory piece based on one of the narrator’s memories when he […]
Read moreIn University Days by James Thurber we have the theme of hardship, control, frustration and struggle. Taken from his My Life and Hard Times collection the story is narrated in the first person by Thurber himself and from the beginning of the story the reader realises that Thurber may be exploring the theme of hardship. […]
Read moreIn Frost by Anton Chekhov we have the theme of control, helplessness, class, charity, selfishness and greed. Taken from his The Complete Short Stories collection the reader realises from the beginning of the story that Chekhov may be exploring the theme of control. The local fête is due to take place yet the weather is […]
Read moreIn The Green Tree by Zakariyya Tamir we have the theme of innocence, imagination, control, escape, friendship and coming of age. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Tamir may be exploring the theme of innocence. Rhanda is upset yet Talal through his actions is […]
Read moreIn The Case of The Lower Case Letter by Jack Delany we have the theme of control, greed, honesty, murder and commitment. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed detective the reader realises after reading the story that Delany may be exploring the theme of control. Edgar likes to control Edith, particularly how she […]
Read moreIn The House of Asterion by Jorge Luis Borges we have the theme of isolation, loneliness, connection, fear, escape, mortality and freedom. Taken from his Labyrinths collection the reader realises after reading the story that Borges is using the myth of the Minator as a template. Though rather than others being the primary narrator Asterion, […]
Read moreIn The Wedge-Tailed Eagle by Geoffrey Dutton we have the theme of respect, revenge, control, skill and remorse. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator it becomes clear to the reader from the beginning of the story that Dutton may be exploring the theme of respect. Both pilots when they are talking to […]
Read moreThe theme of love is self-evident in the story and there is no disputing that the laundress loved the mayor’s brother. However due to the opinion of the mayor’s mother the laundress was not allowed to marry the brother. She believed that the laundress was not the equal of her son. This too is significant […]
Read moreIn The Umbrella by Guy de Maupassant we have the theme of fear, loss, independence, control, appearance and satisfaction. 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 fear. Mme Oreille is afraid to go to the Insurance Office. […]
Read moreIn French Joe by W. Somerset Maugham we have the theme of connection, betrayal, disillusion, contentment and misfortune. 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 connection. The […]
Read moreIn Rejection by Mariama Bâ we have the theme of abuse, gender inequality, control, blame, rejection, acceptance, freedom and anger. Narrated in the form of an epistolary narrative the reader realises from the beginning of the story that Bâ may be exploring the theme of abuse. Modou’s relationship with Binetou is inappropriate (going by western […]
Read moreIn Mercury by D.H. Lawrence we have the theme of paralysis, desire, selfishness, individualism and fear. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Lawrence may be exploring the theme of paralysis. None of the crowd on top of Merkur do anything of interest. It is […]
Read moreIn The Crow by Charles Mungoshi we have the theme of obsession, fear, brutality, control and relief. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed young boy it becomes clear to the reader after reading the story that Mungoshi may be exploring the theme of obsession. Both the narrator and Chiko are obsessed with killing […]
Read moreIn The Story of Nosente by Nosente of Umgqwashe we have the theme of marriage, acceptance, control and change. Narrated in the first person by an elderly woman called Nosente the story is translated by Monica Hunter and from the beginning of the story the reader realises that Nosente may be exploring the theme of […]
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