A huge balloon appears unexpectedly one night, covering 20 city blocks of central Manhattan. Nobody knows why it is there, triggering varying initial responses. After a short time, people begin to accept the balloon simply because it exists. They no longer need to know why. Like the balloon, this story by Donald Barthelme may appear confusing at first because it appears to have no message or theme. Barthelme is satirizing our need to know “why” (find a purpose or meaning) before we can appreciate a creative expression… whether it be a balloon, a work of art, or a story. More…
All posts by shortsonline
Arabesque: The Mouse
In this psychological horror story by A. E. Coppard, an idealistic man who has withdrawn from society due to constant rebuff sits alone in a mouse-infested garret. As he watches the antics of a mouse in front of his fireplace, his mind wanders to the death of his mother and loss of the only woman he ever loved. When he comes back to reality, the mouse is sitting before a trap with its forepaws torn off. Association of this with his mother’s grisly death sends him to the brink of madness. Themes include mother-child relationships, loss, depression, despair, shame, insanity. More…
Supper
The major themes of this story by Lesléa Newman are sexuality and alienation. Protagonist Jocelyn’s annoying grandmother spoils supper by complaining about her vegetarian diet and trying to force her to eat some meat. Later, the grandmother makes a cruel comment about her being too skinny to attract boys. Jocelyn blushes because she thinks there might be something wrong with her. She “doesn’t like” boys, but found a kissing and petting ‘practice session’ with her best friend (who demonstrated what her experienced boyfriend does) sexually stimulating. Sadly, the poor girl doesn’t appear to have anyone to talk to about it. More…
The Censors
Written during the early days of Argentina’s Videla dictatorship, this story by Luisa Valenzuela satirizes the use of censorship in limiting free speech. A man worried that government censors may misinterpret an innocent letter he wrote to a woman in Paris gets a job at the censorship office to recover it. Ironically, he becomes so immersed in the job that his values change to embrace censorship. His dedication results in promotion to a top position and, when his letter finally reaches him, he dutifully censors it, bringing about his own downfall. Themes include censorship, oppression, paranoia, love, alienation, identity, duty. More…
The Three-Century Woman
In this humorous story by Richard Peck, a fourteen-year-old girl accompanies her mother and aunt to visit her great-grandmother on her 102nd birthday. Because of the great-grandmother’s “three-century” status (born in 1899, living through the 1900s, and still alive in 2001), her room in the usually quiet nursing home is surrounded by press. Anticipating this, the normally sleepy, forgetful old woman is not only propped up in bed dressed for an interview, but has prepared an elaborate prank to play on them. Themes include playfulness, taking the aged for granted (the aged are more than their memories!), change. More…