This story by Saadat Hasan Manto takes place during the rioting that followed India’s Partition. Set in an “Indian” border town from which most Muslims have fled, an elderly judge underestimates the carnage to come and insists on staying. After a stroke, he becomes bed-ridden and is unable to flee. Every night, his seventeen-year-old daughter watches Muslim houses burning in the city around them. When a Sikh man repays a kindness the judge had once done for his father, we learn the reason their house has (so far) been spared. Themes include religious conflict, denial, fear, innocence, duty, betrayal. More…
My Life with the Wave
In this surrealist prose poem by Octavio Paz, a man at a beach is seduced by a sensuous ocean wave. The wave insists on following him home, where they begin a passionate love affair. The wave is subject to sudden mood swings and, to make sure she is not lonely, he buys a colony of fish to swim in her waters. The attention she and the fish give each other leads to jealousy and hatred on his part, and an icy end for the hapless wave. Themes include freedom and oppression, love and passion, jealousy, fear and hatred. More…
Harrison Bergeron
This story by science-fiction writer Kurt Vonnegut is about a future world in which the government tries to make everyone equal. The strong must carry heavy weights, the beautiful must wear masks, and the clever are subjected to distracting sounds to stop them thinking clearly. As is usual in totalitarian worlds, those in power are excused from all this… especially the Handicapper General and her “H-G” men. A powerful, gifted fourteen-year-old boy tries to change things as his parents watch on in confusion. Themes: control (forced conformity through oppression and violence), identity (equality vs. individuality), rebellion, media power. More…
The Million Pound Bank Note
This humorous story from Samuel Clemens (aka Mark Twain) explores two themes related to the power of money. The first is the different attitudes people have towards the rich and the poor. The second, which is particularly relevant today, is the power the rich (influencers) can exert over the decision-making of admirers (followers). Other themes: enduring love (Portia and Henry’s relationship prospers, despite their playful deceptions); honesty (Henry’s intention to pay back his debts); and the peculiarities of British High Society (settling arguments with bets, determining social position through gossip columns, and missing meals if unable to decide seating precedence). More…
Soldier’s Home
This story by Ernest Hemingway about an American soldier’s difficulty “fitting in” after returning from World War 1 is a wonderful example of the author’s Iceberg Theory, with much of the protagonist’s background hidden from readers. Upon return, the soldier finds himself alienated from his culture, community, friends, and family. He falls into depression and lethargy, obsessed with watching local girls go by, but avoiding contact with them. This may be due to an earlier failed relationship, or his distaste for his pious, controlling mother. Themes include PTSD, alienation, cultural and social change, fear of involvement and commitment. More…