The Sailor-Boy’s Tale

The Sailor-Boy’s Tale: Short story by Isak DinesenTold in the form of a fairy-tale, this story by Isak Dinesen (aka Karen Blixon) includes the rather unusual suggestion that manhood comes with killing someone, kissing a girl and accepting one’s destiny. A young sailor is hurrying to visit a girl who the previous night had promised him his first kiss. After accidentally killing an aggressive Russian sailor who tries to delay him he flees, gets his kiss, and is saved from an angry mob by a grateful shape-shifter returning a good deed. Themes include innocence, romance, coming of age, destiny, karma (good deeds returned), the supernatural.

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At the Jim Bridger

At the Jim Bridger: Short story by Ron CarlsonIn this story by Ron Carlson, a man regrets having used a censored version of a story about how he saved the life of a hiker to seduce a woman. The hiker was suffering from hypothermia and, trapped in a small tent during a blizzard, the only way to warm him up was to lay naked together in the same sleeping bag. Nature took its course and, although the hiker either isn’t bothered by what happened or doesn’t remember, the protagonist has trouble coming to terms with it. Themes include marriage/relationships, male bonding, fatherhood, betrayal, guilt.

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Fountains in the Rain

Fountains in the Rain: Short story by Yukio MishimaIn this quirky story by Yukio Mishima, an arrogant young man courts, seduces and sleeps with a woman. He has no feelings for her, and does so purely for the “pleasure” of seeing the reaction when he says to a woman for the first time, It’s time to break it off!. Her immediate reaction is a river of tears. When he gets up to leave, she follows, still crying uncontrollably. To dump the tearbag, he decides to humiliate her in front of the royal fountains. The result is not what he expected. Themes include “manliness”, manipulation and deception, cruelty, love.

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The Bunyip

The Bunyip: Australian Aboriginal Myth from Andrew LangFolklore is full of stories of fierce mythical creatures. North America has Bigfoot or the Sasquatch, Nepal and Tibet have the Yeti, and Australia has the Yowie/Yahoo and water-dwelling Bunyip. Bunyip sightings have been reported since the early days of settlement, and today’s story is one of the first literary accounts of the creature. A foolish aboriginal hunter tries to kidnap a Bunyip cub, secure in the knowledge that he can out-run its clumsy mother on land. He learns too late that the mother has magic powers that will change his people forever.

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What I Have Been Doing Lately

What I Have Been Doing Lately: Short story by Jamaica KincaidThis circular narrative by Jamaica Kincaid takes the form of a dream in which the narrator, woken by her doorbell and finding no one there, embarks upon a surreal journey. An interesting aspect of the story is that although delivered in the first person, the narrator’s identity is neither given nor defined. When asked the titular question by an unknown woman, she gives a slightly different version of the journey so far, suggesting either personal growth (greater awareness), or that she has experienced multiple iterations of the journey. Themes include reality vs. fantasy, loss and longing, motherhood, personal growth, identity.

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The Kiss

The Kiss: Short story by Anton ChekhovIn this Anton Chekhov story, a mistaken kiss in a darkened room temporarily transforms the life of a shy, insecure army officer. He returns to duty on a high, wondering who the woman was and fanaticizing that he could be as successful in love and life as his fellow officers. Some weeks later, he eagerly returns to the scene. When nothing special takes place, he sees the folly of his summer dreams and fancies. In addition to Chekhov’s common message of the cruelty and unpredictability of life, themes include misunderstanding, human desire, self-delusion, raised hopes and shattered dreams.

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The Drowned Giant

The Drowned Giant: Short story by J. G. BallardIn this story by J. G. Ballard, the body of a giant man is dehumanized because of its otherworldly size. Left to rot on a beach, it first becomes a tourist attraction and later a source of exploitation as various body parts are taken for commercial purposes or as souvenirs. The narrator, who is clearly disturbed by the disrespectful way the body is treated, perceives it as having a transcendent, Homeric quality. This begs a fascinating question: What does it take to be considered human? Themes include humanity, identity, mortality, curiosity, fear (of a potentially superior race), fame, exploitation.

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The Crooked Man

The Crooked Man: Short story by Charles BeaumontSet 500 years in the future, this story by Charles Beaumont envisions a dystopian world where homosexuality is the norm, heterosexuality is not only frowned upon but illegal, and children are tube-born and machine-nursed. Although the male protagonist is strongly attracted to a young woman, both struggle to deal with physical contact due to their social conditioning. As they cannot show affection in public, she disguises herself and they meet in a sleazy “men only” bar. In the end, she gets what she came for and his concerns are resolved. Themes include oppression, prejudice, sexual orientation, depravity.

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