Short Story Reviews
In Commission by Tim Winton we have the theme of mortality, connection, shame, letting go, acceptance, alcoholism, change, self-pity and trust. Taken from his The Turning collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed man and from the beginning of the story the reader realizes that Winton may be exploring the […]
Read moreIn Long, Clear View by Tim Winton we have the theme of conflict, connection, disillusionment, control, identity and responsibility. Taken from his The Turning collection the story is narrated in the second person by a young twelve year old boy called Vic and from the beginning of the story the reader realizes that Winton may […]
Read moreIn Family by Tim Winton we have the theme of uncertainty, escape, connection, memories, freedom, love and relationships. Taken from his The Turning collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and from the beginning of the story the reader realises that Winton may be exploring the theme of uncertainty. […]
Read moreIn Tomorrow is Too Far by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie we have the theme of memory, jealousy, patriarchy, escape, sibling rivalry, letting go and guilt. Taken from her The Thing Around Your Neck collection the story is narrated in the second person by a young, unnamed woman and from the beginning of the story the reader […]
Read moreIn Ike and Phindi by Sipho Sepamla we have the theme of control, marriage, appearance, materialism, domestic violence, class and struggle. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises from the beginning of the story that Sepamla may be exploring the theme of control. From the very start of Ike and […]
Read moreIn The Second Bakery Attack by Haruki Murakami we have the theme of time, responsibility, control, gender roles (reversed), liberation, freedom and conflict. Taken from his The Elephant Vanishes and Other Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed man and after reading the story the reader realises that Murakami […]
Read moreIn Her Three Days by Sembenè Ousmane we have the theme of control, desperation, gender roles, jealousy, acceptance, humiliation and polygamy. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realizes after reading the story that Ousmane may be exploring the theme of control, a man’s control over a woman. Throughout the story […]
Read moreIn A Prayer For the Living by Ben Okri we have the theme of conflict, connection, acceptance and hope. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed man the reader realizes form the beginning of the story that Okri may be exploring the theme of conflict. The story itself is set during the Nigerian Civil […]
Read moreIn Riot by Casey Motsisi we have the theme of struggle, defiance, conflict, escape, compassion and apartheid. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realizes from the beginning of the story that Motsisi may be exploring the theme of struggle. Maria is struggling to get Boetikie to sleep. He is thirsty […]
Read moreIn Gemini by Ahmed Essop we have the theme of discontent, rebellion, paralysis, struggle, letting go, pride, love and failure. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realizes from the beginning of the story that Essop may be exploring the theme of discontent. Siva does not like working for others in […]
Read moreIn The Bridegroom by Nadine Gordimer we have the theme of order, marriage, anticipation, anxiety, control and escape. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realizes from the beginning of the story that Gordimer may be exploring the theme of order. The young man’s contents of his tent are listed by […]
Read moreIn The South by Jorge Luis Borges we have the theme of identity, pride, ego, romanticism, escape and conflict. Taken from his Collected Fictions collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and from the beginning of the story the reader realizes that Borges may be exploring the theme of […]
Read moreIn The Arrangers of Marriage by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie we have the theme of marriage, control, change, independence and language. Taken from her The Thing Around Your Neck collection the story is narrated in the first person by a woman (girl) called Chinaza (Agatha) and after reading the story the reader realizes that Chinaza has […]
Read moreIn The Shoemaker and the Devil by Anton Chekhov we have the theme of struggle, envy, happiness and insecurity. Taken from his Complete Short Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story it is important to remember that the majority of the story is […]
Read moreIn Rajam and Mani by R.K. Narayan we have the theme of conflict, jealousy, fear, friendship and loyalty. Taken from his Swami and Friends collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and from the beginning of the story the reader realizes that Narayan may be exploring the theme of […]
Read moreIn No Place to Make Love by Langston Hughes we have the theme of struggle, privacy, responsibility, conflict, desperation and hope. Taken from his Short Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator and the reader realizes from the beginning of the story that Hughes may be exploring the […]
Read moreIn the story In Error by Rudyard Kipling we have the theme of alcoholism, dependency, respect, control, connection and jealousy. Taken from his Plain Tales from the Hills collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realizes that Kipling may be exploring the […]
Read moreIn The Fight by Ruskin Bond we have the theme of conflict, friendship, pride, connection and respect. 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 realizes that Bond may be exploring the theme of conflict. Ranji ends […]
Read moreIn the James Baldwin adapted parable, The Blind Men and the Elephant, we have the theme of curiosity, perception, ignorance and conflict. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realizes from the beginning of the story that Baldwin may be exploring the theme of curiosity. The blind men have never seen […]
Read moreIn The M.C.C. by R.K. Narayan we have the theme of identity, isolation, loneliness, determination, friendship and innocence. Taken from his Swami and Friends collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realizes that Narayan may be exploring the theme of identity. Swaminathan […]
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