Featured Stories

The Country Husband

The Country Husband: Short story by John CheeverRather than wide-open spaces far from a city, John Cheever’s “country husband” lives on a large block in an upper-class New England suburb. A near-death experience results in a growing awareness of the shortcomings of his way of life. He becomes more demanding and impulsive, leading to a dangerous infatuation with an underage teen, out-of-character behavior that causes his family to become social outcasts, and an argument that almost destroys his marriage. A psychiatrist has an innovative solution. Themes: appearances vs. reality, conformity, isolation, loneliness, lack of fulfillment, materialism, marriage (gender roles/domesticity, lack of communication/intimacy,), sexual fantasy.

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The Legend of the Christmas Rose

The Legend of the Christmas Rose: Short story by Selma LagerlöfThe major themes of this Christmas story from Selma Lagerlöf are faith, forgiveness, redemption and, of course, the supernatural (the miracle of the Christmas garden). When the wife of an infamous outlaw is discovered admiring a monastery’s herb garden, she tells its Abbot that his prized garden is nothing compared to the one that emerges from the snow outside their forest hideout each Christmas Eve. In the hope of getting her husband pardoned, she agrees to lead the Abbot to see the miracle. Other themes: judging by appearances, mistrust, and materialism (the idea that the poor are closer to God).

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A Hanging

A Hanging: Short story by George OrwellThis story by Eric Arthur Blair (aka George Orwell) is a narrative essay providing an eyewitness account of an execution in 1920s Burma. By describing only what happens and not telling us the prisoner’s crime, Orwell supports the thesis that capital punishment cannot be justified under any circumstances. He cleverly uses irony to support his case, the most notable instance being the revelation that the jail official in charge of the hanging is a doctor. The narrator’s moment of enlightenment comes when the prisoner encounters a puddle of water on the path to the gallows.

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Saboteur

Saboteur: Short story by Ha Jin (aka Jin Xuefei)This story from Ha Jin begins with what appears to be a simple shakedown attempt by two corrupt Chinese policemen. The victim, who should have known better, attracts the attention of onlookers (who do nothing), resists arrest (a bad move) and challenges their station officer’s authority (bringing a weekend locked up in miserable conditions). When forced to “confess”, he faces loss of his reputation, job and wife. On release, he morphs from victim to villain. The original trumped-up charge was sabotage; his act of revenge is more like biological terrorism! Themes: police brutality and abuse of power, injustice, capitulation, revenge.

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The Answer is No

The Answer is No: Short story by Naguib MahfouzThis story explores the dilemma of a teacher who, having been raped by a trusted tutor at fourteen years of age, must face the attacker again as her school’s new headmaster. She refuses to cower before the man, and manages to maintain her dignity and self-respect through two encounters. Naguib Mahfouz is one of the few Islamic writers with the reputation to be able to not only successfully take on such a confronting issue, but also present it from an openly feminist perspective. Themes: abuse of trust, sexual assault, strength of character, courage, empowerment.

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A Perfect Day for Bananafish

A Perfect Day for Bananafish: Short story by J. D. SalingerThe major theme of this J. D. Salinger story is an extension of another we have featured by the same author. In For Esmé with Love and Squalor, a teenager’s friendship and compassion help a young soldier recover from PTSD. Here, a returned soldier is suffering its long-term effects. He copes by trying to avoid the company of adults (including his vain, materialistic wife) and finds pleasure in music, poetry and spending time with young children. Major themes: the effects of war on mental health, alienation, loneliness, childhood innocence, vanity and materialism, suicide.

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Waldo

Waldo: Novella by Robert HeinleinIn this science fiction fantasy by Robert Heinlein, Earth needs help from “Waldo”, an eccentric genius born with degenerative muscle weakness. Angry at mankind after being cheated out of a ground-breaking invention, Waldo lives as a recluse in a gravity-free home in orbit above the planet. Earth’s problem is a series of physically impossible breakdowns in “deKalbs”, radiant power receptors used to power everything from vehicles to cities. With help from a little magic, he not only solves this but also makes three other important discoveries. Themes: identity, conquering disability, self-reliance and independence, science vs. “magic”.

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Raymond’s Run

Raymond's Run: Short story by Toni Cade BambaraRaymond’s Run by Toni Cade Bambara is about a feisty school girl nick-named ‘Squeaky’ who helps take care of Raymond, her mentally challenged older brother. Squeaky is a very talented runner. She trains hard and desperately wants to win this years’ May Day race to show up an annoying and over-confidant new girl in town. During the race she sees Raymond running along the outside of the track keeping pace with her. She suddenly decides that winning races doesn’t matter as much as it used to. Themes: responsibility (care-giving), identity, independence, alienation, pride, rivalry, personal growth, respect.

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