Short Story Reviews
In Take Me Away, Please by Lily Chan we have the theme of escape, conflict, prejudice, narrow-mindedness, tradition, culture and acceptance. Narrated in the first person by Chan herself the reader realizes from the beginning of the story that Chan may be exploring the theme of escape. Chan longs to do something other than helping […]
Read moreIn Happiness by Guy de Maupassant we have the theme of love, language, happiness, struggle, control, satisfaction and class. Taken from his Selected Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and from the beginning of the story the reader realizes that de Maupassant may be exploring the theme […]
Read moreIn Two Friends by Guy de Maupassant we have the theme of friendship, connection, conflict, loyalty and patriotism. Taken from his Selected Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and from the beginning of the story the reader realizes that de Maupassant may be exploring the theme of […]
Read moreIn Pigs from Home by Hop Dac we have the theme of tradition, culture, acceptance and connection. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator the reader realizes after reading the story that Dac may be exploring the theme of tradition. Despite living in Australia the narrator and his family carry on the traditions […]
Read moreIn The Beat of a Different Drum by Simon Tong we have the theme of language, frustration, struggle, connection and escape. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed male narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Tong may be exploring the theme of language. The narrator’s first language is Cantonese and he […]
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 Papa Bear by Chin Shen we have the theme of memories, childhood, belonging, rebellion, acceptance and pride. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator the reader realizes from the beginning of the story that Shen may be exploring the theme of memories. The narrator has been told by their parents of the […]
Read moreIn Family Life by Diem Vo we have the theme of prosperity, family, connection, conflict, tradition and community. Narrated in the first person by Vo herself the reader realizes after reading the story that Vo may be exploring the theme of prosperity. Vo’s family come from Vietnam and when they first came to Australia they […]
Read moreIn TV People by Haruki Murakami we have the theme of connection, relationships, uncertainty, confusion, acceptance and mental illness. Taken from his The Elephant Vanishes collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed man and after reading the story the reader realizes that Murakami may be exploring the theme of connection. […]
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, […]
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 The Little Green Monster by Haruki Murakami we have the theme of loneliness, isolation, appearance, control and connection. Taken from his The Elephant Vanishes collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed woman and from the beginning of the story the reader realizes that Murakami may be exploring the theme […]
Read moreIn Towards Manhood by Benjamin Law we have the theme of masculinity, change, identity, sexuality, shame and acceptance. Taken from his The Family Law collection the story is narrated in the first person by Law himself and it becomes clear to the reader from the beginning of the story that Law may be exploring the […]
Read moreIn Meeting Elise by Nam Le we have the theme of pride, success, mortality, friendship, connection, acceptance, jealousy and redemption. Taken from his The Boat collection the story is narrated in the first person by a man called Henry Luff and from the beginning of the story the reader realizes that Le may be exploring […]
Read moreIn Tourism by Benjamin Law we have the theme of consumerism, family, separation, tradition, independence, commitment and connection. Taken from his The Family Law collection the story is narrated in the first person by Law himself and is a memory piece with Law recalling his teen years. It is also clear to the reader that […]
Read moreIn A Big Life by Jenny Kee we have the theme of rebellion, race, sexuality, connection, aspirations and independence. Narrated in the first person by a woman called Jenny (assumed to be Kee herself) the reader realises from the beginning of the story that it is a memory piece with the narrator looking back on […]
Read moreIn A Window by Haruki Murakami we have the theme of loneliness, honesty, curiosity, desire, writing, connection and confusion. Taken from his The Elephant Vanishes collection the story is narrated in the first person by a thirty-two year old man who is recalling events ten years previously. When he worked for the Pen Society as […]
Read moreIn Silence by Tony Ayres we have the theme of cultural heritage, homophobia, anger, struggle, hope, fear and acceptance. Narrated in the first person by Ayres himself the reader realizes from the beginning of the story that Ayres may be exploring the theme of cultural heritage. Ayres longs to remember and act out his childhood […]
Read moreIn My China by Kylie Kwong we have the theme of celebration, tradition, connection, happiness, prosperity, pride and discovery. Narrated in the first person by Kwong herself it becomes clear to the reader while reading the story that Kwong is exploring the theme of celebration. Kwong’s visit to her great-grandfather’s village, a man who left […]
Read moreIn The Ganges and Its Tributaries by Christopher Cyrill we have the theme of growing up, heritage, conflict, pride and fear. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed man the reader realizes after reading the story that Cyrill is writing a memory piece from events that occurred when the narrator first moved into his […]
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