Short Story Reviews
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 […]
Read moreIn 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. […]
Read moreIn 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’ […]
Read moreIn 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 […]
Read moreIn 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 […]
Read moreIn 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 […]
Read moreIn 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 […]
Read moreIn 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 […]
Read moreIn 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 […]
Read moreIn 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 […]
Read moreIn 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 […]
Read moreIn 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 […]
Read moreIn 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 […]
Read moreIn 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 […]
Read moreIn 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 […]
Read moreIn 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 […]
Read moreIn 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 […]
Read moreIn 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 […]
Read moreIn 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 […]
Read moreIn 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 […]
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