Shooting an Elephant

Shooting an Elephant: Short story by George OrwellThis story by Eric Arthur Blair (aka George Orwell) is a narrative essay in which the thesis is the wrongs of British Imperialism. A young officer in the British Colonial Police in the early 1920’s describes an experience with an elephant that had killed a villager. He tells how he felt pressured into shooting the animal, even though he knew this to be unnecessary. His fellow Europeans had mixed opinions but fortunately, none of them guessed the real reason for the shooting. Themes include culture clash, prejudice, the need to maintain authority, and moral conscience vs. pride/”face”.

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The Sparrows

The Sparrows: Short story by K. A. AbbasIn this story by K. A. Abbas, an Indian man embittered by being forced to follow tradition and enter into a loveless marriage spends thirty years taking revenge on his family and society. He savagely beats his wife and sons, badly mistreats his farm animals, and is abusive to fellow villagers. As the story begins, his wife has left and he is alone in the world. In his misery, he finds solace and redemption through a family of sparrows nesting in the thatched roof of his hut. Themes include tradition, forbidden love, bitterness, revenge, cruelty, alienation and loneliness, connection, redemption.

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The Giving Tree

The Giving Tree: Short story by Shel SilversteinThis short children’s story by Shel Silverstein is about a boy who is friends with a tree. He plays under it when he is young, and re-visits it throughout his life. The tree keeps on giving to the boy until it has nothing left to give. The boy does not give anything back to the tree or even say thank you. Readers are left wondering if the closing line And the tree was happy. could possibly be true. If you think of the story as an allegory about a mother’s unconditional love, you will know the answer.

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The Portrait of a Lady

The Portrait of a Lady: Short story by Khushwant SinghPublished in 1948, Khushwant Singh’s moving tribute to his grandmother was the first story of his long and distinguished writing career. The story spans a period of twenty years, from Singh’s earliest memories of the “so terribly old but always beautiful” woman, to her peaceful passing in almost surreal circumstances. He recalls their close friendship during his early schooling, the “turning point” when they moved to live with his parents in the city, and their growing estrangement as Western influences and higher education demands came between them. Themes: grandmother-grandson relationship (love, devotion), generation gap (education, culture), piety, change.

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The Ass, the Table, and the Stick

The Ass, the Table, and the Stick: English folktale from Joseph JacobsIn this English folktale, a young man works for a year and earns a magic donkey. An innkeeper tricks him out of it, so he works for another year and earns a magic table. The same innkeeper tricks him out of this. For his next job, the boy earns a magic stick. This helps the young man get his donkey and table back, as well as to marry his true love. Unfortunately, in winning the girl the young man shows a side of his personality that will make readers wonder if he really deserved all the magical help!

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A January Night / Poos Ki Raat

A January Night / Poos Ki Raat: Short story by PremchandThis story by Premchand highlights the plight of tenant farmers in pre-Independence India. In the Hindu calendar, the month of Poos (mid-December to mid-January) marks the beginning of winter. A farmer, forced to pay his debts with money he had saved to buy a blanket, watches over his crops one night in freezing temperatures. With his loyal dog beside him, he manages to survive the night. Unfortunately, his crops do not. His wife is devastated, but he is happy. Themes include the powerlessness and exploitation of tenant farmers, poverty, struggle, the harshness of nature, resilience.

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Greatness Strikes Where It Pleases

Greatness Strikes Where It Pleases: Short story by Lars GustafssonThis touching story by Lars Gustafsson explores the life of a severely retarded man who was institutionalized from age seven. Although it mentions the obvious issues of social isolation, loneliness, and ill-treatment, these are not the focus of the story. Rather, it is a celebration of how, cut off from society and without love or human companionship, he uses childhood memories to connect to the world through an imaginary private universe in which, as the creator, he holds a place of greatness. Themes include social isolation and loneliness, powerlessness, the importance of language, memories, imagination, connection.

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The Wife’s Story

The Wife's Story: Short story by Ursula Le GuinIn addition to its themes of love, trust, family and perception, this Ursula Le Guin story carries two important messages. The first is that we are often so blinded by our love for someone that we fail to notice subtle hints that may indicate flaws or emerging problems in their character. The second is that there are always two sides to every interaction between sentient beings. To many humans, wolves are wild, dangerous predators to be shot on sight. To wolves, man is a feared aggressor who all too often attacks and kills them for living as nature intended.

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