Like many John Cheever stories, the major themes of The Enormous Radio are appearances vs. reality and the myth of urban bliss. Other themes include eavesdropping, obsession, secrecy, smugness, self-delusion and hypocrisy. A seemingly contented couple’s life changes when a malfunctioning radio begins to pick up conversations from people in surrounding apartments. The woman becomes obsessed with listening in and, after learning her neighbors’ secrets about affairs, marital and financial problems, etc., begins to look down on them. This feeling of superiority is soon dashed when her husband points out some unsavory aspects of her own past. More…
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Gorilla, My Love
Hazel, the protagonist in this Toni Cade Bambara story, is a feisty African-American girl growing up in New York City. Its major theme, truth and honesty, is conveyed through Hazel’s anger over two events: a misrepresented movie title and an offhand promise made to pacify her as a child. Her initial reaction to the first (demanding a refund) demonstrates growing maturity. Her emotional reaction to the second (tears) indicates she hasn’t quite got there. Given Hazel’s angry (criminal) response when refused the refund, one feels sorry for poor Hunca Bubba! Other themes: family, racism, deceit, anger, protest, betrayal. More…
The Canal
In this story by Richard Yates, two men at a cocktail party learn that their army divisions fought alongside each other during a bloody World War 2 canal crossing. One boasts about his role in the operation; the other is reluctant to share information. As their wives compete to build up their respective husband’s roles in the fighting, readers learn that although the second man performed equally as bravely, due to some mistakes along the way he would rather forget what happened. Themes include memory, conceit, gender roles, glorification of war vs. the reality of war, self-esteem, humiliation and shame. More…
The Guilty Party – An East Side Tragedy
This story by O. Henry takes recent events in America, where parents have been found partly responsible when their child commits murder, to a new level. A young man boasts to friends that he will teach his fiancée a lesson by taking another girl to a dance. The fiancée makes good her promise to kill him if he does, then flees and commits suicide. A heavenly court absolves her of the crime, blaming a red-haired, unshaven, untidy man, sitting by a window reading while his children play in the streets.. Themes include guilt and innocence, parental neglect, love, betrayal, redemption. More…
To the Man On the Trail
In this Jack London story, a group of Alaskan miners celebrating Christmas greet a stranger warmly. The man is in a hurry. He shares a drink, passes around a picture of his family, and asks to be awakened in four hours to be on his way. Shortly after he leaves, a policeman arrives claiming the stranger had stolen $40,000. The men are initially angry at being deceived. However, when they learn he had only stolen money owed to him, they drink to the stranger’s good luck and “confusion to the police”. Themes include camaraderie, betrayal, morality, wilderness justice. More…