In Two Kinds by Amy Tan we have the theme of hope, identity, rebellion, responsibility, blame, independence and acceptance. Narrated in the first person by a woman called Jing-mei Woo the story is a memory piece and after reading the story the reader realises that Tan may be exploring the theme of hope. Jing-mei’s mother has hopes for her daughter. […]

In The Taste of Metal by John Updike we have the theme of infidelity, control, dominance, loneliness and selfishness. Taken from his The Early Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Updike may be exploring the theme of infidelity. Not only has Eleanor’s husband […]

In Death of a Son by Njabulo Ndebele we have the theme of grief, resilience, loss, doubt, acceptance, responsibility and renewal. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed woman (mother) the reader realises from the beginning of the story that Ndebele may be exploring the theme of grief. The narrator and her husband Buntu have yet to grieve the […]

In War by Luigi Pirandello we have the theme of patriotism, acceptance, grief, connection, fear and loss. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Pirandello may be exploring the theme of patriotism. The old man appears to be able to accept the fact that his son gave his life for […]

In The Gramophone by Herman Charles Bosman we have the theme of control, fear, anger and violence. Taken from his Mafeking Road and Other Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by a man called Oom Schalk Lourens and after reading the story the reader realises that Bosman may be exploring the theme of control. Krisjan Lemmer […]

In The Invalid’s Story by Mark Twain we have the theme of responsibility, imagination, inexperience, innocence, confusion and appearance. Taken from his The Complete Short Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Twain may be exploring the theme of confusion. The narrator for the […]

In Kid Playboy by Casey Motsisi we have the theme of appearance, loss, suffering, responsibility, trust, fear, selfishness and anger. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises after reading the story that Motsisi may be exploring the theme of loss. Several of the characters in the story have lost something. The narrator has lost his […]

In Unto Dust by Herman Charles Bosman we have the theme of mortality, war, equality, meaning and loyalty. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator the reader soon realises after reading the story that Bosman may be exploring the theme of mortality. There are several deaths in the story and each one leaves the narrator thinking differently about […]

In The Love Potion by Herman Charles Bosman we have the theme of tradition, love, hope, happiness and fear. Taken from his Mafeking Road and Other Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by a male narrator called Oom Schalk Lourens and from the beginning of the story the reader realises that Bosman may be exploring the […]

In Smile of Fortune by Gaele Sobott-Mogwe we have the theme of appearance, infidelity, suffering, selfishness, corruption, honesty, trust and justice. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator the reader realises from the beginning of the story that Sobott-Mogwe may be exploring the theme of appearance. Khumo likes to stay on the right side of people. He doesn’t […]

In The Far and the Near by Thomas Wolfe we have the theme of isolation, experience, paralysis, connection, perception and regret. Taken from his The Complete Short Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and from the beginning of the story it becomes clear to the reader that Wolfe may be exploring the […]

In How I Edited an Agricultural Paper by Mark Twain we have the theme of inexperience, anger, ignorance, pride, confidence, responsibility and concern. Taken from his The Complete Short Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator and from the beginning of the story it becomes clear to the reader that Twain may be […]

In The House on the Border by Aziz Nesin we have the theme of responsibility, powerlessness, fear, guilt, independence and acceptance. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed male narrator it becomes clear to the reader after reading the story that Nesin may be using the house that the narrator lives in as symbolism for a country. With each […]

In The Sniper by Liam O’Flaherty we have the theme of war and the effects war can have on an individual. Set during the Irish Civil War the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises just how difficult war can be with brother fighting and killing brother. Where […]

In The Lesson by Toni Cade Bambara we have the theme of appearance, class, equality, shame and education. Narrated in the first person by a young African American girl called Sylvia the reader soon realises from the beginning of the story that Bambara may be exploring the theme of appearance. Miss Moore out of all the characters in the story […]

In A Telephone Call by Dorothy Parker we have the theme of desperation, insecurity, uncertainty, independence, paralysis, control, dependency, change and identity. Taken from her Complete Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed woman and from the beginning of the the story the reader realises that Parker may be exploring the theme of desperation. By introducing […]

In Certain Winds from the South by Ama Ata Aidoo we have the theme of struggle, hardship, strength, unity, silence, choice, resilience and perseverance. Taken from her No Sweetness and Other Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person though for the majority of the story it is a conversational piece. What is also interesting about the narrative style […]

In Paul’s Case by Willa Cather we have the theme of hostility, respect, freedom, escape, corruption, determination and commitment. Taken from her The Troll Garden collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and from the beginning of the story the reader realises that Cather may be exploring the theme of hostility. Paul’s attitude towards […]

In The Pheasant by Raymond Carver we have the theme of paralysis, connection, struggle, conflict, identity, change and control. Taken from his Fires collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Carver may be exploring the theme of paralysis. There is a sense that both characters […]

In The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe we have the theme of guilt, paralysis, madness, paranoia and identity. Set in the 1840s the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator and after reading the story the reader realises that Poe may be exploring the theme of guilt. The narrator after he kills the old man […]

In Next Door by Tobias Wolff we have the theme of fear, conflict, violence, peace and harmony. Taken from his In The Garden of The North American Martyrs and Other Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator and from the beginning of the story the reader realises that Wolff may be exploring the […]

In The Boarded Window by Ambrose Bierce we have the theme of isolation, loneliness, hope, grief, failure and guilt. Taken from his The Complete Short Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator and from the setting of the story the reader realises that Bierce may be exploring the theme of isolation. Murlock is […]

In The Drunkard by Frank O’Connor we have the theme of apprehension, fear, pride, gossip, control, temptation, curiosity, helplessness, alcoholism and trust. Taken from his Collected Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by a young boy called Larry Delaney and after reading the story the reader realises that O’Connor may be exploring the theme of apprehension […]

In First Confession by Frank O’Connor we have the theme of conflict, appearance, division, connection, fear, innocence and honesty. Taken from his Collected Stories collection the story is a memory piece and is narrated in the first person by a man called Jackie. What is interesting about the beginning of the story is that O’Connor may be exploring the theme […]

In Oil of Dog by Ambrose Bierce we have the theme of greed, corruption, responsibility, unity and isolation. Taken from his The Complete Short Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by a man called Boffer Bings and after reading the story the reader realises that Bierce may be exploring the theme of greed and corruption. Both […]