Short Story Reviews
In Nitya by R.K. Narayan we have the theme of selfishness, belief, tradition, modernity, control, respect, connection and independence. Taken from his Under the Banyan Tree 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 Narayan may be exploring […]
Read moreIn Laura by Saki we have the theme of freedom, reincarnation, conformity, acceptance, revenge, mortality 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 freedom. Laura […]
Read moreIn The Dube Train by Can Themba we have the theme of indifference, bravery, apartheid, control and unity. Narrated in the first person by a young male narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Themba may be exploring the theme of indifference. Despite the young woman being hassled by the tsotsi there is […]
Read moreIn They Sold My Sister by Leteipa Ole Sunkuli we have the theme of marriage, discontent, control, independence, tradition, freedom and equality. Narrated in the first person by a young twelve year old girl called Naliki the reader realises after reading the story that Sunkuli may be exploring the theme of marriage, particularly forced or […]
Read moreIn Minutes of Glory by Ngugi wa Thiong’o we have the theme of identity, insecurity, appearance, equality and independence. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Thiong’o may be exploring the theme of identity. Beatrice doesn’t really know who she is or more importantly who […]
Read moreIn Old Man of the Temple by R.K. Narayan we have the theme of connection, acceptance, tradition, faith and dedication. Taken from his Under the Banyan Tree and Other Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by the Talkative man and after reading the story the reader realises that Narayan may be […]
Read moreIn Louise by W. Somerset Maugham we have the theme of selfishness, control, responsibility, fear, conflict, connection and guilt. 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 Maugham may be exploring the theme of selfishness. […]
Read moreIn The Two Grandmothers by Olive Senior we have the theme of tradition, modernity, identity, change, independence, connection, materialism, insecurity and coming of age. Taken from her Arrival of the Snake-Woman and Other Stories collection the story is narrated in the form of several letters (an epistolary narrative) sent by a young unnamed girl to […]
Read moreIn The Boy Who Loved Ice Cream by Olive Senior we have the theme of desire, jealousy, insecurity, innocence, control, change, conflict and coming of age. Taken from her Summer Lightning and Other Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises […]
Read moreIn The Standard of Living by Dorothy Parker we have the theme of escape, materialism, friendship, greed, innocence, independence and freedom. Taken from her Complete Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Parker may be exploring the theme of […]
Read moreIn The American Embassy by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie we have the theme of sacrifice, loneliness, change, freedom, frustration, identity, bravery, loss and grief. Taken from her The Thing Around Your Neck and Other Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises […]
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 The Girl Who Can by Ama Ata Aidoo we have the theme of conflict, innocence, freedom, insecurity, connection and pride. Taken from her collection of the same name the story is narrated in the first person by a young seven year old girl and after reading the story the reader realises that Aidoo may […]
Read moreIn Class Act by Namhla Tshisana we have the theme of acceptance, connection, appearance, insecurity, conflict, bullying and identity. Narrated in the first person by a young twelve year old girl the reader realises after reading the story that Tshisana may be exploring the theme of bullying. The narrator is having a difficult time in […]
Read moreIn Two Little Soldiers by Guy de Maupassant we have the theme of friendship, connection, love, change, discontent, conflict, betrayal and jealousy. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Maupassant may be exploring the theme of connection. Jean and Luc enjoy each other’s company. So […]
Read moreIn A Tiger in the House by Ruskin Bond we have the theme of compassion, connection, struggle, love, freedom and control. 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 […]
Read moreIn The Funeral by Ruskin Bond we have the theme of loss, mortality, uncertainty, change, loneliness, connection, determination and hope. Taken from his Collected 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 Bond may be exploring the […]
Read moreIn What’s Your Dream? by Ruskin Bond we have the theme of appearance, freedom, aspirations, connection, respect and greed. Taken from his Collected Short Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by a young unnamed boy and from the beginning of the story the reader realises that Bond may be exploring the […]
Read moreIn The Kitemaker by Ruskin Bond we have the theme of tradition, mortality, loneliness, happiness, independence, kindness, pride and change. 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 Bond may be exploring the theme of […]
Read moreIn The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas by Ursula K. Le Guin we have the theme of conflict, happiness, freedom, sacrifice, acceptance and control. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Le Guin may be exploring the theme of conflict. There are some in […]
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