In Flight by John Steinbeck we have the theme of innocence, coming of age, resilience, hardship, struggle, escape and loss. Taken from his The Long Valley collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Steinbeck maybe exploring the transition from innocence to manhood. Pepé while he […]

In The Gospel According to Mark by Jorge Luis Borges we have the theme of sacrifice, judgement, perception, innocence and tradition. Taken from his Completed Fictions collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Borges may be exploring the theme of sacrifice. Espinosa has no idea that […]

In The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck we have the theme of opportunity, dissatisfaction, gender roles, boredom, responsibility and equality. Taken from his The Long Valley collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Steinbeck may be exploring the theme of boredom. Elisa though she is working and […]

In Breakfast by John Steinbeck we have the theme of contentment, gratitude, struggle, determination, insecurity and kindness. Taken from his The Long Valley collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Steinbeck may be exploring the theme of contentment. The family of migrant workers appear to […]

In The Portrait of a Lady by Khushwant Singh we have the theme of innocence, friendship, love, connection, kindness, selflessness, respect and acceptance. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator the story is a memory piece and after reading the story the reader realises that Singh may be exploring the theme of innocence. The narrator finds it hard […]

In A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings by Gabriel García Márquez we have the theme of prosperity, connection, gratitude, appearance, tradition and selfishness. 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 prosperity. Though […]

In The Demon Lover by Elizabeth Bowen we have the theme of conflict, fear, commitment, control and innocence. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Bowen may be exploring the theme of conflict. Kathleen after reading the letter realises that her past has caught up with her. Despite the passing […]

In Balthazar’s Marvelous Afternoon by Gabriel García Márquez we have the theme of conflict, humility, greed, generosity and pride. 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 conflict. Balthazar is a poor man who […]

In The Cow of the Barricades by Raja Rao we have the theme of conflict, independence, struggle, control, sacrifice, peace and freedom. 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 Rao may be exploring the theme of conflict.  There are two […]

In A Real Durwan by Jhumpa Lahiri we have the theme of struggle, conflict, responsibility, jealousy, aspirations and resilience. Taken from her Interpreter of Maladies collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and from the beginning of the story the reader realises that Lahiri may be exploring the theme of struggle. Boori Ma as […]

In The Third and Final Continent by Jhumpa Lahiri we have the theme of change, connection, control, identity and struggle. Taken from her Interpreter of Maladies collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed male narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Lahiri may be exploring the theme of connection. The narrator while […]

In Pink Bow Tie by Paul Jennings we have the theme of honesty, appearance, desire, opportunity, fear, discontent, acceptance, change and curiosity. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed fourteen year old boy the reader realises after reading the story that Jennings may be exploring the theme of honesty. If the narrator is to be believed then it would […]

In I Used to Live Here Once by Jean Rhys we have the theme of struggle, connection, freedom, change, acceptance and loneliness. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Rhys may be exploring the theme of struggle. As the narrator is describing the stepping stones that the woman once walked […]

In Karma by Khushwant Singh we have the theme of self-importance, heritage, control, insecurity, shame, identity and acceptance. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Singh may be exploring the theme of self-importance. Sir Mohan Lal considers himself to be better than others. Particularly other Indians. It is as though […]

In Number Fifty-Six by Stephen Leacock we have the theme of appearance, identity, perception, dedication, connection, empathy and friendship. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Leacock may be exploring the theme of appearance. Ah-Yen throughout the story describes a customer to the narrator who in fact is the narrator. […]

In Girl by Jamaica Kincaid we have the theme of powerlessness, domesticity, independence, identity, inequality, sexuality, freedom, tradition and control. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator (mother) the reader realises after reading the story that Kincaid may be exploring the theme of powerlessness. There is a sense that the narrator’s daughter is powerless when it comes to […]

In Of White Hairs and Cricket by Rohinton Mistry we have the theme of loyalty, connection, escape, freedom, guilt, fear, conflict and coming of age. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed fourteen year old boy the reader realises after reading the story that Mistry may be exploring the theme of loyalty. Every Sunday the narrator plucks the white […]

In Tyres by Adam Thorpe we have the theme of responsibility, tradition, love, pride, helplessness, guilt, control and grief. Narrated in the first person by a Frenchman called Raoul Paulhan the story is a memory piece and after reading the story the reader realises that Thorpe may be exploring the theme of responsibility. Both Raoul and his father take great […]

In My Lost Dollar by Stephen Leacock we have the theme of honesty, hypocrisy, appearance, letting go, frustration and acceptance. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed man the reader realises after reading the story that Leacock may be exploring the theme of letting go. The narrator appears to be unable to let go of the fact that Todd owes […]

In Through the Tunnel by Doris Lessing we have the theme of connection, isolation, determination, failure, independence, conflict and coming of age. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Lessing may be exploring the theme of connection. Jerry longs for the older boys in the bay to appreciate him. It […]

In The Moving Finger by Edith Wharton we have the theme of control, loneliness, conflict, obsession, isolation, connection, dependency and letting go. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Wharton may be exploring the theme of control. There is a sense that Ralph was controlled by his first wife and […]

In To Da-duh, in Memoriam by Paule Marshall we have the theme of conflict, connection, confidence, change, acceptance and pride. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed female narrator the story is a memory piece and after reading the story the reader realises that Marshall may be exploring the theme of conflict. Not only is there a sense of […]

In The Waltz by Dorothy Parker we have the theme of struggle, identity, independence, endurance, tolerance, choice, honesty and conformity. Taken from her Complete Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed woman and after reading the story the reader realises that Parker may be exploring the struggles that some women have when it comes […]

In The Beautiful Suit by H.G. Wells we have the theme of desire, happiness, control, suppression, hope and freedom. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Wells may be exploring the theme of desire. The little man (or boy) longs to wear his suit as often as he can. The […]

In Señor Payroll by William E. Barrett we have the theme of control, power, determination, connection and acceptance. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed man the reader realises after reading the story that Barrett may be exploring the theme of control. The Main Office of the company seems to want to rein in the Mexican workers and stop […]