Short Story Reviews
In Mrs Sen’s by Jhumpa Lahiri we have the theme of culture, change, isolation, independence and identity. Taken from her Interpreter of Maladies collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Lahiri may be exploring the theme of culture and just […]
Read moreIn The Chinese Statue by Jeffrey Archer we have the theme of tradition, selfishness, pride, greed, sacrifice and appearance. Taken from his A Quiver Full of Arrows collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Archer may be exploring the theme […]
Read moreIn Gabriel-Ernest by Saki we have the theme of suspicion, charity, paranoia, fear, control, trust and acceptance. Taken from his The Complete Short Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Saki may be exploring the theme of suspicion. Van […]
Read moreIn The Schartz-Metterklume Method by Saki we have the theme of class, ridicule, identity, independence and connection. Taken from his The Complete Short Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Saki may be exploring the theme of class. Mrs […]
Read moreIn Going Blind by Henry Lawson we have the theme of connection, helplessness, compassion, struggle, fear, respect, optimism and control. Taken from his While the Billy Boils collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Lawson may be exploring the theme […]
Read moreIn An Accident by R.K. Narayan we have the theme of hopelessness, appearance, kindness, uncertainty and gratitude. Taken from his An Astrologer’s Day and Other Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator and from the beginning of the story the reader realises that Narayan may be exploring the […]
Read moreIn The Lady or the Tiger? by Frank R. Stockton we have the theme of control, powerlessness, class, uncertainty, love, jealousy, compassion and acceptance. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Stockton may be exploring the theme of control. The king appears to have complete […]
Read moreIn Mint Tea by Christine Craig we have the theme of pity, charity, anger, loss, connection, happiness, innocence and security. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Craig may be exploring the theme of pity and charity. Florence takes Esmie into her home because she […]
Read moreIn The Shroud by Munshi Premchand we have the theme of selfishness, tradition, honour, independence, guilt, self-importance, gender roles and responsibility. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Premchand may be exploring the theme of selfishness. Both Ghisu and Madhav appear to be more concerned […]
Read moreIn The Voice of God by Khushwant Singh we have the theme of social order, corruption, connection, control and change. Taken from his Collected 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 Singh may be exploring the theme […]
Read moreIn You Were Perfectly Fine by Dorothy Parker we have the theme of insecurity, guilt, alcoholism, escape, change, love, regret and commitment. Taken from her Complete Stories collection the reader realises after reading the story that Parker may be exploring the theme of insecurity. Peter has absolutely no memory of what has happened the night […]
Read moreIn Death of the Trees by Ruskin Bond we have the theme of loss, progress, powerlessness, change, conflict and acceptance. 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 Bond may be exploring the theme of […]
Read moreIn Companions by Raja Rao we have the theme of sacrifice, torment, acceptance, control, struggle, respect and happiness. Taken from his Collected Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Rao may be exploring the theme of sacrifice. Moti endures […]
Read moreIn The Case for the Defence by Graham Greene we have the theme of perception, identity, uncertainty, independence and doubt. Taken from his Complete Short Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator (reporter) and after reading the story the reader realises that Greene may be exploring the theme […]
Read moreIn A Horse and Two Goats by R.K. Narayan we have the theme of confusion, tradition, culture, identity, arrogance and conflict. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Narayan may be exploring the theme of confusion. Muni is speaking in Tamil while the American is […]
Read moreIn The Open Boat by Stephen Crane we have the theme of optimism, desperation, determination, disappointment, acceptance and gratitude. The story itself is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and the reader realises after reading the story that Crane may be exploring the theme of optimism. Though some of the men in […]
Read moreIn The Son’s Veto by Thomas Hardy we have the theme of freedom, class, appearance, insecurity, acceptance and powerlessness. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Hardy may be exploring the theme of freedom. Sophy does not have the freedom to marry Sam. Though she […]
Read moreIn The Custody of the Pumpkin by P.G. Wodehouse we have the theme of control, class, selfishness, arrogance, prejudice, pride and change. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Wodehouse may be exploring the theme of control. Emsworth does not like the fact that Freddie […]
Read moreIn B. Wordsworth by V. S. Naipaul we have the theme of admiration, identity, curiosity, friendship, control, freedom, uncertainty and coming of age. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed male the story is a memory piece and after reading the story the reader realises that Naipaul may be exploring the theme of admiration. […]
Read moreIn The Sphinx without a Secret by Oscar Wilde we have the theme of appearance, love, mystery, escape, insecurity, trust, conflict and uncertainty. Taken from his The Complete Short Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed male and after reading the story the reader realises that Wilde may be […]
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