Old-Fashioned Farmers

Old-Fashioned Farmers: Novelette by Nikolai GogolThis story by Nikolai Gogol is a gushing reminiscence of rural life in 1820s Ukraine. An aging couple still profoundly in love enjoy tranquillity and the simple pleasures of life (their garden, food and entertaining visitors) on an idyllic farm, oblivious of the daily theft and pilfering by their steward and servants. The wife has a premonition of her impending death and slowly wastes away. This leads to her husband’s death from loneliness and despair, followed by the neglect and ruin of their lands. Themes include nostalgia, love, isolation, superstition, loss, heartbreak, corruption, the transient nature of life and happiness.

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Mrs. Porter and the Rock

Mrs. Porter and the Rock: Novelette by David MaloufIn this story by David_Malouf, an elderly woman’s visit to Uluru (Ayers Rock) as a guest of her aesthetic son highlights themes of memories, aging, disconnection, death, and commercialism vs. cultural understanding and respect. The woman, suffering early-stage dementia, fails to appreciate the spectacular grandeur of the Rock, which has attracted her son and fellow visitors from as far away as America and Japan. Instead, between hallucinations and behavioral quirks, she retreats into the past before wandering off into the desert and experiencing spiritual transcendence as she passes away in the care of Aboriginal children.

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Village 113

Village 113: Novelette by Anthony DoerIn this story by Anthony Doer, an elderly Chinese seed keeper faces “progress” in the form of a massive dam that will submerge her ancestral village and destroy her community’s history, cultural identity and way of life. Although most fellow villagers jump at the offer of a discounted modern apartment and either a cash settlement or government job, she finds it hard to let go. When forced to leave, the lost connection with the past begins to affect her memory. Themes include progress vs. tradition, the generational divide, dislocation, familiar places and objects as an anchor for memories and identity.

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Waywaya

Waywaya: Novelette by Francisco Sionil JoséSet in pre-colonial Philippines, this novelette by Francisco Sionil José, begins with a young warrior who yearns for the freedom to determine his own destiny impulsively kidnapping and enslaving a girl from a rival tribe. The girl, whose name “Waywaya” translates as “freedom”, is ironically robbed of hers. The tragic love that develops between the two highlights themes of identity and personal freedom, prejudice, jealousy and sacrifice. Other themes include social injustice, the opportunity cost of cultural hostilities, and corruption (in this case how rulers can entrench their position and enrich themselves by encouraging fear of an enemy).

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Il Colore Ritrovato

Il Colore Ritrovato: Short story by Mark HelprinThis story by Mark Helprin explores the theme “the price of fame”. An ageing impresario reflects on how he transformed a contented young laundry worker into the greatest opera singer in the world. He has just come across an innocent young street performer who could be even better, and faces a dilemma. Although his first discovery has found fame and fortune, he is unhappy about how it affected her. Should he immediately launch his excited new find into stardom, or insist that she takes time to consider the consequences? Other themes include entrepreneurship, responsibility, regret, compassion, redemption, art and beauty.

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Good Country People

Good Country People: Short story by Flannery O'ConnorIn this story by Flannery O’Connor a condescending, highly educated woman who lost a leg in a childhood accident learns a potentially life-changing lesson when she tries to seduce a young bible salesman claiming to have come from a good country family. A message of the story is the danger of judging people by superficial factors such as where they come from, education level and socioeconomic status. Ironically, despite considering themselves “Good Country People”, none of the main characters match the implied qualities of that description. Themes include identity, faith, stereotyping, hypocrisy, disability, appearance vs. reality, naivety, deception.

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Nobody Will Laugh

Nobody Will Laugh: Novelette by Milan KunderaIn this story by Milan Kundera, a Czechoslovakian college lecturer “rewards” an amateur researcher’s gushing praise by going to great lengths to avoid telling the truth about a substandard paper he has submitted for review. Having spent several years on the paper, the man needs the lecturer’s endorsement to have it published. He refuses to give up, resulting in a comic series of events that culminate in the lecturer not only being charged with immoral conduct by his local communist party committee, but losing his job and the partner he belatedly realizes he loves. Themes include hubris, deception, manipulation, persistence.

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The Horla

The Horla: Novelette by Guy de MaupassantThis story by Guy de Maupassant describes a man’s slow descent into madness, convinced that an invisible being he unknowingly lured from a passing ship is preying on his mind. As the entity (supposedly an otherworldly species of vampire that feeds on the life force of those it attaches to) gets stronger, he begins to lose his free will. Unable to flee, he traps it in his bedroom and burns his house to the ground. When this doesn’t work, he contemplates an even more extreme solution. Themes include reality vs. illusion, the unknown/supernatural, terror, madness, despair.

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