In Blackout by Roger Mais we have the theme of conflict, race, equality, connection, fear, class and pride. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Mais may be exploring the theme of conflict. The woman at the bus stop is hesitant to give the man a light from her cigarette. […]

In Blood Brothers by John Wickham we have the theme of hate, discontent, connection, jealousy, fear, independence and confidence. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Wickham may be exploring the theme of hate. Paul is uncomfortable with his relationship with his twin brother Benjy. He dislikes the fact that […]

In Mom Luby and the Social Worker by Kristin Hunter we have the theme of love, responsibility, kindness, bureaucracy, connection, innocence and change. Narrated in the first person by a young thirteen year old boy called Elijah the reader realises after reading the story that Hunter may be exploring the theme of love. Mom Luby puts both Elijah and his […]

In Emma by Carolyn Cole we have the theme of connection, independence, innocence, infidelity, desire, respect and change. Narrated in the first person by a young girl called Dory the reader realises after reading the story that Cole may be exploring the world of connection. Though Dory is still young she prefers the world of the adults around her. This […]

In 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 really nobody to help her. […]

In 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 arranged marriages. The narrator’s sister […]

In 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 she would like to be. […]

In 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 her mother. What is also interesting about […]

In 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 that Senior may be exploring […]

In 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 escape. Annabel and Midge spend […]

In 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 that Adichie may be exploring […]

In 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 Adichie may be exploring the […]

In 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 be exploring the theme of […]

In 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 school due to her appearance […]

In 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 Omelas who disapprove of how […]

In Tuesday Siesta by Gabriel García Márquez we have the theme of determination, respect, social opinion, connection and control. Taken from his Collected Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Márquez may be exploring the theme of determination. Mrs Ayala has traveled some distance […]

In The Mark of Vishnu by Khushwant Singh we have the theme of tradition, modernity, faith, loyalty, respect and change. Taken from his Collected Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by a young unnamed boy and after reading the story the reader realises that Singh may be exploring the theme of tradition. Gunga Ram is a […]

In The Diamond Maker by H.G. Wells we have the theme of dedication, desperation, sacrifice, regret, appearance and isolation. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed man the reader realises after reading the story that Wells may be exploring the theme of dedication. The diamond maker has spent the last fifteen years of his life trying to perfect the […]

In Mother by Grace Paley we have the theme of connection, loneliness, regret, struggle, freedom, loss and acceptance. Taken from her The Collected Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed woman and after reading the story the reader realises that Paley may be exploring the theme of connection. Despite the fact that the narrator’s […]

In Wants by Grace Paley we have the theme of conflict, acceptance, independence, selflessness, change and responsibility. Taken from her The Collected Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed woman and after reading the story the reader realises that Paley may be exploring the theme of conflict. Despite the passing of time the narrator’s […]

In The Green Leaves by Grace Ogot we have the theme of violence, tradition, modernity, colonialism, gender roles, power, greed and conflict. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Ogot may be exploring the theme of violence. Though the three thieves are guilty of stealing some cattle how they are […]

In A Client by Raja Rao we have the theme of class, equality, marriage, independence, tradition, modernity and control. 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 Rao may be exploring the theme of class. Ramu dislikes having to […]

In The Gentlemen of the Jungle by Jomo Kenyatta we have the theme of greed, corruption, control, innocence, colonialism, trust, self-importance and rebellion. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Kenyatta may be exploring the theme of greed. Mr Elephant rather than being happy with keeping his trunk dry wants […]

In A Journey by Edith Wharton we have the theme of change, acceptance, gender roles, loyalty, independence, conflict and social opinion. Taken from her The New York Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Wharton may be exploring the theme of change. The female […]

In The Day the World Almost Came to an End by Pearl Crayton we have the theme of innocence, freedom, fear, religion, insecurity, connection and independence. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed woman the story is a memory piece and after reading the story the reader realises that Crayton may be exploring the theme of innocence. There is a […]