The Sun, the Moon, the Stars

The Sun, the Moon, the Stars: Short story by Junot DíazThis story by Junot Díaz examines transnational relationships between young Hispanic Americans. It focuses on the doomed love affair between a Dominican-American man and his long-suffering Cuban girlfriend and, in doing so, the pressures they face from family and friends. It contrasts the woman’s desire for true love and commitment with the man’s unsuccessful attempts to shake off the stereotype of Latino machismo. The man maintains he is not a bad guy, but doesn’t seem to understand how to treat a woman with consideration and respect. Themes include responsibility in relationships, infidelity, self-deception, national pride, socioeconomic differences.

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Fox Hunt

Fox Hunt: Short story by Lensey NamiokaThis story by Lensey Namioka is a blend of legend and reality . A studious Asian-American boy preparing for the PSAT exam is the only one in his class without a “study buddy”. The boy is pushed to do well by his father, who is descended from a long line of Chinese scholars. One day, his mother tells him a tale about how an ancestor was helped in his studies by a huli, or fox spirit disguised as a girl. Shortly afterwards, the boy meets his own huli. Themes include culture, alienation, pressure to succeed, determination, friendship, coincidence vs. the supernatural.

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Neighbours

Neighbours: Short story by Tim WintonThe underlying message of this heart-warming story by Tim Winton is the importance of cultural acceptance in a multicultural environment. A naïve Australian couple initially feel uncomfortable when they move into their first home and find that their street is full of European migrants. Despite language barriers, as time goes by the couple and migrants develop a mutual understanding, friendships and a sense of community. This culminates in a tearful scene where a migrant family gathers at their fence to cheer on the home-birth of the couple’s first child. Themes include prejudice, cultural differences, understanding, acceptance, friendship and community.

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The Bridal March

The Bridal March: Short story by Bjørnstjerne BjørnsonThis story by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson spans four generations descended from a Norwegian cottar said to practice the black arts. He composed a bridal march for his daughter, warning that woe would come to any girl it played to church who was not a happy bride. One descendent wasn’t and paid the price. A major theme is forbidden love, with each descendant marrying someone from a different social class. In the final union, the cottar’s great-great granddaughter brings alienated sides of the family together by marrying his grandson. Other themes include social class and conventions, family duty and conflict, the supernatural.

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Ahoy, Sailor Boy!

Ahoy, Sailor Boy!: Short story by A. E. CoppardThis story by A. E. Coppard takes a light-hearted look at death and what comes after. Following a discussion in an English pub about death and divine retribution, an off-duty sailor unsuccessfully tries to solicit an attractive ghost in a park. The woman’s sin was vanity, as represented by a huge collection of expensive clothing. In order to obtain redemption, she must re-wear and discard every item in the collection. She is wearing the last outfit, and the sailor eagerly watches as she undresses for the last time. Themes include death and the afterlife, vanity, sexuality, kindness, redemption, the supernatural.

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The Refugee

The Refugee: Short story by K. A. AbbasThis story by K. A. Abbas deals with the social upheaval caused by the 1947 Partition of India. Told from the perspective of an elderly Sikh woman, it compares the community spirit and religious tolerance that existed before Partition with the hatred, bloodshed and displacement of Sikh and Hindu families that occurred afterwards. The compassionate, once wealthy protagonist, who lost everything when forced to flee Rawalpindi, demonstrates neither bitterness nor self-pity. However, she still sheds a tear for the “soft” memories like ripe apricots and fragrant baggoogoshas… Themes include brotherhood and inclusiveness vs. religious hostility, alienation, suffering, identity, resilience.

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The Patient Cat

The Patient Cat: Short story by Laura E. RichardsThis short fable by Laura E. Richards teaches a lesson about patience. The cat showed patience in waiting for the bird to lay all of its eggs, and then waiting until the eggs had hatched. It also showed patience in not pouncing as soon as the chicks were born, but leaving them until they started to get fat. There was a point shortly after this where the cat should have enjoyed its meal. This leads to the moral of the story: being patient is a good thing, but it is equally important to know the right time to act.

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Vision out of the Corner of One Eye

Vision out of the Corner of One Eye: Short story by Luisa ValenzuelaTwo frequent themes in Luisa Valenzuela’s short stories are the daily violence associated with living in 1960/70s Argentina and feminism. This is one of the latter, satirizing gender imbalance and “Machismo” in society. A woman traveling on a crowded bus feels herself being groped. When she tries to move away, more people get on the bus and the groping develops into “fondling” and “jiggling”. Rather than make a scene, she gives the pervert some of his own medicine and more… rubbing his behind and expertly removing his wallet in the process. Themes include sexual assault, indignation, distress, doubt, revenge, theft.

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