D. H. Lawrence’s Odour of Chrysanthemums begins with an introduction to a woman living in a coal-mining village who feels trapped in an unhappy world of her husband’s making. Although her father is working-class (an engine-driver), her speech and behavior suggest that she aspires to a better life. The accidental death of her husband (a miner) triggers an epiphany in which she realizes that they never really knew each other, and that their problems were equally of her own making. The main theme is superficial (physical) attraction vs. love. Other themes: industrialization, social class, sex roles, isolation, mother-child connections, death. More…
All posts by shortsonline
War
If you are looking for an action-packed war story, this is not for you. Set in Italy during World War One, this story by Luigi Pirandello is a dialogue-packed discussion among the parents of men who are going or have gone off to war about its impact on their lives. The central themes are patriotism, duty, fear, sacrifice and grief. The climax comes when a man who claimed to be above grief because his son died honorably for his country breaks into tears when forced to confront the fact that the boy really is dead and gone forever. More…
The Yellow Wallpaper
This partly autobiographical story by Charlotte Gilman describes the experiences of a creative, imaginative woman suffering from post-natal depression. She follows the then (1890s) generally accepted medical advice to spend her time “resting” in semi-isolation. Gilman skillfully uses the setting to turn an otherwise clinical account of a mental breakdown into a chilling psychological horror story. Although living in a colonial mansion amid idyllic countryside, the poor woman spends most of her time in a prison-like room with creepy wallpaper. Major themes include the fallibility of doctors and our reluctance to question them, mental illness, freedom and self-expression, and gender roles in society. More…
Jealous Husband Returns in Form of Parrot
The major messages of this playful story by Robert Olen Butler are the importance of communication in a relationship, and that jealousy can develop into a dangerous obsession. A jealous husband who did not articulate his love or concerns enough is resurrected as a parrot and purchased as a pet by his recently widowed wife. When taken “home” in a cage, he finds she is enjoying her newfound freedom with a string of other partners. Ironically, now realizes how much he loves her, but doesn’t have the vocabulary to tell her. Themes include love, communication, infidelity, jealousy, obsession. More…
The Medicine Bag
The 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. More…