Set during World War 1, the major theme of his story by Ernest Hemingway is courage: courage to face an enemy in war, and courage to try to rebuild one’s life after being badly injured or suffering a major setback. A wounded American, thought to be Hemingway’s alter ego Nick Adams, visits a Milan hospital every day for exercises to rehabilitate a wounded knee. He shares his fears about returning to the front, and his relationship and experiences with five Italian soldiers undergoing treatment. Other themes: dealing with disability and loss, fear of death, camaraderie, dignity vs. bravado, alienation, loneliness. More…
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Girl
In 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. More…
A Kidnapped Santa Clause
The major theme of this Christmas story by L. Frank Baum is the triumph of good over evil. Five daemons (creatures that thrive on naughtiness) are angry with Santa Clause because his gifts and messages of goodwill discourage children from visiting their caves. Upon realizing that Santa will never change, they kidnap him as he begins his Christmas deliveries. When Santa’s assistants notice this, they complete his rounds and return with an army of magical immortals to rescue him. Other themes: loyalty, duty and (as reflected in the names of the daemons) selfishness, envy, hatred, malice and redemption. More…
Toads and Diamonds (The Fairies)
This story from Charles Perrault is about a bad-tempered, greedy widow and her two daughters. One girl is selfish, rude and ugly but loved by her mother. The other girl is kind, polite and beautiful but treated badly. With the help of a fairy (who else?), the kind daughter marries a prince and the selfish daughter dies alone. The story leaves readers wondering about the fairy’s gift. Life would be miserable (and maybe impossible) if something fell from your mouth every time you opened it? Also, did the prince really marry her out of love, or was it for diamonds? More…
Priscilla and the Wimps
In addition to this being Richard Peck’s first young adult story, it is one of his most popular. This is undoubtedly because it not only follows the age-old success formula of a victorious underdog, but does so in the context of humiliating a school bully. Another plus is that the denouement is left to the reader’s imagination. Does Pricilla come back later in the day to release Monk? Do her or Melvin’s parents phone the school and arrange for the locker to be opened? Or do they come back in a week’s time and find that Monk is an ice-block? More…