Featured Stories

The Ring

The Ring: Short story by Isak Dinesen (aka Karen Blixen)In this coming of age story by Isak Dinesen (aka Karen Blixen), a recently married nineteen-year-old woman from a wealthy family is confronted by violence for the first time. Having led a sheltered life, the woman has an innocent, child-like view of the world, and in particular her husband’s commitment to improving their farm. Her married bliss is shattered by a chance encounter with a man covered in blood who is on the run for theft and murder. The triggers a re-evaluation of her naïve views on life and marriage. Themes: loss of innocence, responsibility, sexuality, violence, identity/self-awareness, consciousness.

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The Prisoner Who Wore Glasses

The Prisoner Who Wore Glasses: Short story by Bessie HeadThis story from Bessie Head is about a group of political prisoners who unite to survive the harsh South African penal system. Physically, the main character (Brille) is the weakest of the span of ten prisoners. This is reflected in his build, his clumsiness, and his poor eyesight. Brille compensates for these weaknesses with strength of character and insight. A beating from a warder helps him see that he entered politics for the wrong reason; it also shows him a way to manipulate the warder to improve things for the whole span. His glasses symbolize both weakness and perceptiveness.

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The Ultimate Safari

The Ultimate Safari: Short story by Nadine GordimerSet during the Mozambican Civil War, this story from Nadine Gordimer follows a family as they undertake an arduous journey to a South African refugee camp through Kruger Park. The story is told through the eyes of a nine year-old girl who understands little about the war other than that her father is away fighting for the government. Following her mother’s disappearance while buying cooking oil, the rest of her family join a group of other displaced villagers for the dangerous 40-mile (65 km) trek through the park. Themes include family, war, loss, lawlessness, displacement, fear, endurance, hope.

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The Goodness of Matt Kaizer

The Goodness of Matt Kaizer: Short story by Edward Wortis (aka Avi)This story from Edward Wortis (aka Avi) is about “the baddest” member of a small group of troublesome sixth graders. Matt is constantly trying to prove how bad he is by taking on dares. His father, a church minister, does not seem greatly concerned by this in the belief that one day Matt will change. A dare that goes horribly wrong (or right depending how you look at it) proves his father correct. Themes: peer pressure, pride, good vs. evil, forgiveness. The story’s message: nobody is born bad; there is the potential for goodness in everyone.

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The Weight of a Gun

The Weight of a Gun: Short story by Samrat UpadhyayIn this emotionally charged story by Samrat Upadhyay, a divorced woman tries desperately to prevent her schizophrenic adult son from self-harming or harming others. When she discovers that he has bought a gun and possibly joined Maoist rebels, she seeks help from his father. In the process, she befriends his pregnant, emotionally overwrought new wife who is being shunned by her family. As soon as the baby is born, the new wife does a runner and the husband follows, “temporarily” leaving the baby in her care. Themes include motherhood and motherly love, mental illness, loneliness and isolation, insensitivity, anxiety, superstition.

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The Enemy

The Enemy: Short story by Pearl S. BuckIn this story by Pearl S. Buck, a Japanese surgeon finds a badly wounded man washed up on the beach in front of his house. Set during World War 2, the man is an escaped American prisoner of war and sworn enemy of his people. The doctor faces a dilemma. Does he hand the man in, in which case he will certainly die, or treat him first and risk execution for treason? The forgetfulness of a well-connected existing patient saves both the doctor and the American. Themes include choices and consequences (medical ethics vs. patriotic duty), indoctrination, racism, humanity.

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The Garden Party

The Garden Party: Short story by Katherine MansfieldBecause of the complex issues raised, this is one of Katherine Mansfield’s most highly acclaimed stories. A wealthy family enjoy an ostentatious garden party in the spacious grounds of their mansion, fully aware that the father of a poverty-stricken family living within hearing distance died in an accident earlier the same day. Only one family member (a teen-aged girl) is sensitive to the poor family’s plight. She visits the house to offer condolences, and experiences an epiphany when unexpectedly ushered in to view the body. Themes include social class (class-consciousness, pretention, insensitivity towards others), poverty, innocence, humanity, coming of age.

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Girl

Girl: Short story by Jamaica KincaidIn this story by Jamaica Kincaid, a mother provides what she believes to be essential ‘life advice’ to her maturing daughter. This ranges from tips for young girls (how to cook, sew, sweep, etc.) to things older girls should know (how to love a man, bring on a miscarriage, etc.). The advice consists of a single sentence of 649 words. The daughter gives only two responses, the first of which the mother ignores. The major theme is motherhood: the mother’s concern that her daughter will become a “slut”. Other themes: coming of age, gender stereotypes, generation gap, appearances.

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