The Death of a Government Clerk

The Death of a Government Clerk: Short story by Anton ChekhovIn this playful story by Anton Chekhov, a government clerk enjoying a night at the opera is dismayed when an unexpected sneeze lands droplets on the bald head of a civilian General. Although his immediate apology is accepted, the clerk not only makes a nuisance of himself with continued apologies during the performance, but pesters the general over the next two days trying to explain what happened. As the general becomes increasingly angry, the clerk becomes increasingly anxious until the stress gets too much for him. Themes include social class (living in fear), guilt, insecurity, paranoia, anxiety.

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The Night Face Up

The Night Face Up: Short story by Julio CortázarIn this story by Julio Cortázar, a man hospitalized after a motorcycle accident drifts in and out between the “present” and a “dream” in which he is a member of an ancient tribe being hunted by Aztec warriors for sacrifice. As he struggles to stay awake in his hospital ward, his dream-self is captured, imprisoned, and carried up the temple steps for execution. At the moment of death, he recalls a dream about riding through an astonishing city on an enormous metal insect that whirred away between his legs. Themes include time and space (parallel worlds), existence, dreams vs. reality.

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The Sentimentalists

The Sentimentalists: Short story by Morley CallaghanIn this story by Morley Callaghan two young men, one a law student, are shopping in a department store when they notice a store detective watching three women at the stocking counter. There was a stout, well-dressed older woman, a lanky schoolgirl, and a demure “girl next door” type. They bet on which one the detective is watching and, after two move away, the lawyer moves in and saves the guilty party. Unfortunately, all he gets for his trouble is a kick in the shins. Themes include petty crime, stereotyping, desperation, hope, insensitivity, betrayal.

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Homecoming

Homecoming: Short story by Carlos BulosanThis story by Carlos Bulosan highlights a devastating side-effect of the mass immigration of Filipino men and boys to America in the first half of last Century. In the story, a young man who had immigrated at fifteen returns home after twelve years. Following a tearful reunion, he is devastated to learn that the family is destitute. His father is dead, his mother too frail to get around, and one of his sisters has had to prostitute herself. Even worse, there is nothing he can do to help! Themes include failure, reunion, poverty, desperation, despair, shame.

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The Mystery of the Missing Cap

The Mystery of the Missing Cap: Short story by Manoj DasIt is evident from Babu Virkishore’s absurd ministerial title that this Manoj Das story is a political satire. The comment about the cap’s disappearance being a deep-rooted conspiracy with possible devastating political effects suggests that it is a “Nehru topi” (pictured above). The main themes, comically highlighted when Jhandoo the monkey tries on the cap and then hands it back to the bemused Minister are: 1) many officials of the day weren’t ready to govern; and 2) the general population was too poorly educated and reverent towards those in power to see this. Other themes: innocence, elitism, hubris, honesty, disillusionment.

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A Nurse’s Story

A Nurse's Story: Short story by Peter BaidaInterwoven in this tale by Peter Baida are the story of the life and death of a nurse of forty years, her town, the nursing profession, worker’s rights, and 1960s activism. As the woman looks back at her life, she tries to encourage a new nurse in the geriatric facility in which she is staying to stand up for her right to fair wages. In doing this, she recounts her experience in helping to unionize the hospital in which she had worked. Themes include love, family, dying with dignity, worker’s rights, activism, memories.

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Tom Tit Tot / Rumpelstiltskin

Tom Tit Tot: English folktale from Joseph JacobsThe protagonist in Tom Tit Tot is a lazy girl who doesn’t appear to be good at anything except eating. Her mother lies to the king by saying she is a whiz with the spinning wheel. For some reason this is just the kind of girl the king is looking to marry. The poor girl can’t even spin a top, so in order to avoid losing her head she accepts an offer of help from a small magical creature. As the creature helps the girl, she must try to guess its name. If she can’t, she shall become “its”.

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A Face in the Dark

A Face in the Dark: Short story by Ruskin BondThe power of this very short horror story from Ruskin Bond is in the way the events described mirror what one might experience in a nightmare. As an alternative to supernatural forces, Bond cleverly presents a logical explanation for the night’s events: the way faces can appear ghostly by torchlight. Either way, the major theme of the story is fear when confronted with the unknown. A possible moral is that we shouldn’t judge people who look or dress differently due to their race, class, gender identity, religion, etc. Other themes include the supernatural and imagination vs. reality.

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