Grandad’s Gifts

Grandad's Gifts: Short story by Paul JenningsThis story from Paul Jennings disproves the English proverb Curiosity killed the cat. When protagonist Shane’s family move into his deceased grandfather’s house, his father points to a cupboard in his bedroom and says: We can’t open that. I promised my father. Grandad locked it up many years ago and it’s never been opened. I lived in this bedroom for nineteen years and kept my promise. As might be expected, Shane develops a burning desire to discover the cupboard’s secret. Rather than killing a cat, his curiosity gives a different animal a new life. Themes: curiosity, disobedience, kindness, the supernatural.

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The Good Doctor

The Good Doctor: Short story by Adam HaslettThis story by Adam Haslett explores the frustrations of a young government psychiatrist as he makes a house call to evaluate a remote patient. The woman, living with guilt, depression and fear after the death of her methamphetamine-addicted eldest son, wants to renew her prescriptions. The doctor strongly believes she is also in need of therapy, but faces two problems in providing it: distance (a five-hour round-trip to see her), and the woman’s refusal to participate. Themes include social change, rural poverty and lack of opportunity, shattered dreams, disillusionment, substance abuse, guilt, PTSD, alienation, biological psychiatry vs. clinical psychology.

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The Hungry Stones

The Hungry Stones: Short story by Rabindranath TagoreThe central theme of this story by Rabindranath Tagore is the nature of truth (i.e. that our beliefs, experiences and circumstances tend to shape our perception of reality). A train passenger shares a story about the time he stayed alone in a deserted, seemingly haunted palace. According to local legend, those who slept there either disappeared or went mad. Unfortunately, the train arrives before he discloses the palace’s secret. The narrator dismisses the story as a fabrication. His companion, a theosophist who believes in the spirit world, disagrees. Other themes include the supernatural, greed and desire, fear, uncertainty.

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Circular Ruins

Circular Ruins: Short story by Jorge BorgesIn this story by Jorge Borges, a mystic arrives at the overgrown, burnt-out ruins of an ancient temple. Living as an ascetic, his purpose is to “dream” a man into existence, initiate him into the riddles of the universe, and send him to inhabit another temple. Before they part, he manipulates his creation’s memory so neither he nor anyone else will know he is a spirit. Later, on the point of death, the mystic learns that he, too, is the product of a dream. Themes include philosophical idealism, dreams vs. reality, the circle of life, creation, religion and spirituality.

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Was it a Dream?

Was it a Dream: Short story by Guy de MaupassantThe question in the title of this Guy de Maupassant story could refer to two things: the blissful year the protagonist shared with his lover, or a vision he had while visiting her grave. Similarly, the feelings of emptiness and loss he experiences could be because of two things: the unexpected death of his lover, or what he learned about her death in the vision. A priest had asked if the woman was the man’s mistress. If true, is his reaction at the graveside really justified? Or could Maupassant be pointing out a shameful double standard in French society?

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A Mystery of Heroism

A Mystery of Heroism: Short story by Stephen CraneAs the title suggests, this story from Stephen Crane explores the concept of what makes a “hero”. In trying to answer the question, the story considers issues such as recklessness vs. bravery and the danger of bravado. It also touches on perspectives of heroism. To an injured officer, the protagonist is a hero; to his fellow soldiers, he is an impetuous fool. The irony of a dropped bucket at the end of the story suggests that many acts of heroism in wartime are wasted, having no impact on the outcome. Themes: war, duty, death, bravado, pride, heroism.

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The Mark of Vishnu

The Mark of Vishnu: Short story by Khushwant SinghThis story from Khushwant Singh contrasts the superstitious beliefs of a poorly educated Hindu servant (Gunga Ram) with the science taught at school to four bratty children. As the title implies, the story revolves around Gunga Ram’s devotion to the god Vishnu and what to him is a sacred snake (Kala Nag). Singh was a self-proclaimed agnostic. The story, and in particular its ironic conclusion, is a satire of organized religion and animist beliefs. Themes: faith, illiteracy, superstition vs. logic, class, (lack of) respect, change. The story’s message: blind faith can lead to disaster.

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A Hanging

A Hanging: Short story by George OrwellThis story by Eric Arthur Blair (aka George Orwell) is a narrative essay providing an eyewitness account of an execution in 1920s Burma. By describing only what happens and not telling us the prisoner’s crime, Orwell supports the thesis that capital punishment cannot be justified under any circumstances. He cleverly uses irony to support his case, the most notable instance being the revelation that the jail official in charge of the hanging is a doctor. The narrator’s moment of enlightenment comes when the prisoner encounters a puddle of water on the path to the gallows.

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