The Medicine Bag

The Medicine Bag: Short story by Virginia Driving Hawk SneveThe major theme of this coming of age story by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve, is pride in one’s cultural heritage. Other themes include identity, respect, cultural conflict (tradition vs. modernity), and media stereotyping vs. realty. A Native American boy is proud of the image portrayed by stately TV Indians, but not so the reality of tribe members still living on the reservation. He is too embarrassed to invite friends home when his ailing great-grandfather comes to visit, and mortified at the prospect of having to wear the family heirloom (a sacred medicine pouch) he is about to inherit.

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Landscape with Flatiron

Landscape with Flatiron: Short story by Haruki MurakamiThis story from Haruki Murakami paints a bleak picture of the troubled lives of a young woman (Junko) and the middle-aged artist (Miyake) who befriends her. The pair bond over bonfires Miyake constructs on a beach. Both appear to be trying to escape unstated traumas from their past, and could possibly be suffering from PTSD. Their lives are contrasted with that of Junko’s boyfriend, a carefree surfer and musician. Set a month after the devastating 1995 Kobe earthquake, major themes include the meaning and uncertainty of life and, of course, death. Other themes are artistic inspiration, family, emptiness and suicide.

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The Last Rung on the Ladder

The Last Rung on the Ladder: Short story by Stephen KingThis heart-wrenching story by Stephen King explores a common feature of modern life: the way many families drift apart as younger members leave home. As children, the protagonist and his younger sister shared a life-threatening adventure involving a broken ladder. The girl’s comment afterwards: I knew you must have been doing something to fix it. You’re my big brother. I knew you’d take care of me. Later in life, he is too busy climbing a different ladder to be there when needed. Themes include faith, family drift, loss of innocence, isolation, despair, guilt.

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Haircut

Haircut: Short story by Ring LardnerThis story by Ring Lardner shows how satire can be used to raise awareness of problems in society. A small-town barber talks to a visitor about local life. The barber seems to think the town is a good place to live. However, the stories he tells suggest otherwise… especially if you are a woman or impaired in some way. Most of the barber’s stories are about a dead customer who he says had a kind heart but just liked to have fun with people. We hope you can see that the customer was not kind at all!

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The Ghost upon the Rail

The Ghost upon the Rail: Short story by John LangThis supposedly true story by John Lang is set in the early 1800s. John Fisher had come to Australia as a convict. He worked hard, won his freedom and became rich. One day a neighbor tells everyone that Fisher has returned to England. A year later, he says that Fisher has written asking him to sell all he owns and send the money to him. According to this version, at about the same time three men (one a policeman) are returning home late one night. Sitting on a rail beside the road is Fisher’s ghost. This spoils the neighbor’s plan.

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The Erlking

The Erlking: Short story by Angela CarterThis “fairy-tale” by Angela Carter is derived from a European myth. A magical being living in harmony with nature seduces young women traveling through his forest domain. The women are powerless to resist. When he tires of one, he transforms her into a bird, cages her, and adds the cage to a collection of similar cages adorning the walls of his house. The protagonist, sensing her fate, decides that the only way to free herself and his “bird” collection is to do away with him. Themes include connectedness to nature, the supernatural, power and objectification, sexuality, entrapment, liberation.

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The Water of Life

The Water of Life: Short story by Howard PyleThe major themes of this fairy-tale by Howard Pyle are that money and status don’t necessarily reflect the inner man, and loyalty can sometimes bring great rewards. A princess vows to marry whoever brings her a cup of water from the “Fountain of Life”. A young king sends a servant on the long and dangerous journey to collect some, and falsely claims the prize. The doubtful princess sets him two more tasks, one of which requires cutting off the faithful servant’s hand. Thanks to the Water of Life, things end happily for the servant but not so for the king.

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The Disk

The Disk: Short story by Jorge BorgesJorge Borges gives this story a timeless quality by setting it in medieval times and framing it like a fairy-tale. A traveler arrives at an isolated woodcutter’s hut claiming to be an exiled king descended from Odin, the Norse king of the gods. He supports this by showing the woodcutter what he claims is the disk of Odin, the only one-dimensional object in the universe. Ironically, the woodcutter answers: I do not worship Odin, I worship Christ… and then kills him to possess Odin’s disk. Major theme: the desire to own something that holds power over the world around us.

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