In this Nadine Gordimer story, poverty-stricken villagers hawking food and local crafts swarm an African passenger train during its short stop at an isolated station. A young passenger admires a beautifully carved lion offered by a frail old man, but rejects it as being too expensive. She becomes upset when her husband later presents it to her, proudly announcing that he paid less than half the asking price. Although clearly outraged by his pleasure in humiliating the old man, her anger may imply other problems in their relationship. Themes: racial inequality, wealth and poverty, greed, exploitation, shame, identity and independence. More…
All posts by shortsonline
Luba
This story by Lily Brett is as much a description of how a group of holocaust survivors settled into Australian life as it is a tale of a marriage gone sour. One of the couples is understandably obsessive about security and the welfare of their only daughter. Against their wishes, the girl marries outside their faith and, despite five years of psychotherapy, carries some of their concerns and obsessions into her marriage. A passionate affair with an artist friend of her husband’s opens up a new, more carefree life. Themes include assimilation, friendship, family, intermarriage/racism, obsession, infidelity, love. More…
Bible
Tobias Wolff’s Bible starts with schoolteacher Maureen facing one of a woman’s worst fears. A man comes up behind her in a parking lot, demands her keys, and forces her into her car. Superficially, the story is about justice. The man’s son is about to be expelled from her school for cheating. On a deeper level, it is an account of the failed relationships in Maureen’s life. The man wants Maureen to swear on a white bible he got from Goodwill. White is a symbol of innocence and purity; throwing it in a goodwill bin suggests casting off these values. More…
Love in the Cornhusks
On the surface, this story from Aida Rivera-Ford is about young love leading to an illegitimate child, a “disappearing” boyfriend, an unhappy marriage of convenience, affirmation of the boyfriend’s love, and taking responsibility for one’s actions. On a deeper level, questions arise as to whether the couple’s lovemaking was consensual or forced (She resisted but his arms were strong.). We also see elements of ethnic and class discrimination in the descriptions of Tinang’s Bagobo husband and her sense of superiority over the “darker-skinned” girls and other workers in the fields. Themes: prejudice, love, choices and consequences, regret, facing reality/moving on. More…
Lajwanti
Many Mulk Raj Anand stories deal with the disadvantaged in traditional Indian society. Here a young woman from a poor rural family suffers under the custom of living with her in-laws. While her husband is temporarily living in the city, his sadistic older brother makes unwanted sexual advances. Knowing that no help will come from her mother-in-law, she runs away. When this doesn’t work, she tries to drown herself. Her thoughts when rescued: There is no way for me. I am condemned to live! Themes: women’s status in traditional Indian society, physical and sexual abuse, escape, humiliation, desperation, suicide. More…