In The Hole That Jack Dug by Frank Sargeson we have the theme of hard-work, struggle, connection, trust, independence and respect. Narrated in the first person by a man called Tom, who is helping Jack to dig the hole, the reader realizes from the beginning of the story that Sargeson may be exploring the theme […]

In Your Shoes by Michèle Roberts we have the theme of grief, loss, blame, responsibility, sadness, innocence, communication, hope and control. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed woman, a mother, the reader realizes from the beginning of the story that the narrator is grieving a loss. A loss that we is discover is […]

In They’re Made Out of Meat by Terry Bisson we have a humorous story that looks at a conversation between two aliens who are probing the Universe for intelligent life. What is really interesting about the story is the fact that the life form the aliens encounter are actually human beings. Who the aliens cannot […]

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 […]

In One Summer Night by Ambrose Bierce we have the theme of acceptance, mortality, determination, experience and fear. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator it becomes clear to the reader from the beginning of the story that Bierce may be exploring the theme of acceptance. Though buried alive and it would seem […]

In The Aged Mother by Matsuo Basho we have the theme of power, selfishness, honesty, forgiveness, wisdom, love and change. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator it becomes clear to the reader from the beginning of the story that Basho may be exploring the theme of power. The ruler of Shining abuses […]

In The Boy Who Painted Christ Black by John Henrik Clarke we have the theme of race, freedom, pride, arrogance, connection and dignity. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator the reader realizes after reading the story that Clarke may be exploring the theme of race. Aaron’s painting of Christ causes problems for […]

In The Bamboo Blind by Seema Jena we have the theme of marriage, control, equality, patriarchy, freedom, acceptance, paralysis and escape. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator it becomes clear to the reader from the beginning of the story that Jena may be exploring the theme of marriage. Razia and Razak are […]

In A Death in the Stadium by Robert Nathan we have the theme of mortality, voyeurism, acceptance, fascination, entertainment and satisfaction. Narrated in the first person by an unnamed narrator the reader realizes from the beginning of the story that Nathan may be exploring the theme of mortality. The narrator along with his friend have […]

In My Greatest Olympic Prize by Jesse Owens we have the theme of nationalism, propaganda, struggle, kindness, friendship and participation and from the beginning of the essay the reader realises that Owens may be exploring the theme of nationalism. It is 1936 and the Berlin Olympics are underway. These Olympics were Hitler’s way of showing […]

In The Fat Frog by P. Lal we have the theme of selfishness, greed, relationships and honesty. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator it becomes clear to the reader from the beginning of the story that Lal might be exploring the theme of selfishness. Not only does the frog eat the dinner […]