In 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 […]

In 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 […]

In 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 […]

In 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 […]

In 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 […]

In 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 […]

In 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 […]

In 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 […]

In 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 […]

In the shorty story In The Shadow of War by Ben Okri we have the theme of conflict, trust, connection, innocence and fear. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator it becomes clear to the reader from the beginning of the story that Okri may be exploring the theme of conflict. The war […]