In the Tunnel

In the Tunnel: Short story by Mavis GallantThis story from Mavis Gallant deals with the experiences of a Canadian college student “banished” to Europe by her strict father to end an affair with a married professor. While there, she falls prey to a troubled older man who appears practiced in picking up vulnerable young woman and discarding them immediately something happens that is not to his liking. Their time together, living in his “tunnel-like” room in the garden of an eccentric, thoroughly dislikeable British couple, is not what she expected. Themes: amoureuse mal placé (misplaced love), independence, exploitation, betrayal, cruelty, politics, aging, identity.

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Oh, Whistle and I’ll Come To You, My Lad

Oh, Whistle and I'll Come To You, My Lad: Short story by M. R. JamesIn this story by M. R. James, a colleague asks a young university professor to scope out some monastic ruins for a possible archaeological dig while away on a golfing holiday. As he investigates the area near what would have been the altar, he finds an artificial cavity in the masonry that contains an ancient bronze whistle with strange inscriptions. He was originally unhappy that the only available room in his hotel had two beds but this proves fortunate, providing the terrifying personage he “whistles up” a place to spend the night. Themes include fear, agnosticism, the supernatural.

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Big Blonde

Big Blonde: Short story by Dorothy ParkerThis rather depressing story from Dorothy Parker exposes the different socioeconomic standing and sexual standards applicable to men and women in 1920s America. The protagonist (Hazel) falls from being a popular plus-size model to a depressed middle-aged alcoholic. The cause of her decline lies in extreme moods that sour relationships with her husband and the other hard-drinking men in her life. Forced into a demeaning series of casual affairs with married men who pay her keep in expectation of sexual services, she sees only one pathway to lasting peace. Themes: body image, vulnerability, sexual exploitation, loss of identity/self-esteem, depression, alcoholism.

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Spiderweb

Spiderweb: Short story by Mariana EnriquezAlthough there is no spider in this story by Mariana Enriquez, the Argentinian protagonist is trapped in a web of her own making. Marrying “impetuously” at a young age, she finds herself trapped in a relationship with a nagging, controlling man she hates. When the couple go on a trip into the wilds of Paraguay with her psychic cousin, he also proves to be dangerously naïve and impractical. The morning after a dinner conversation involving mystical experiences and unexplained disappearances, she wakes to find her problem solved. Themes include marriage, submission vs. assertiveness, political injustice and violence, the supernatural.

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Amnesty

Amnesty: Short story by Octavia E. ButlerIn this story by Octavia Butler, Earth’s economy collapses following the arrival of an advanced alien race that settles in the world’s deserts. A reluctant co-existence develops when it becomes clear that the aliens cannot be destroyed. The protagonist, kidnapped by the aliens at age eleven and subjected to cruel experiments, is now an Interpreter for one of their “communities”. Her current mission: to “calm” and prepare six recruits for well-paid positions translating for other communities. Although they need the job, the applicants are full of anger and hostility towards the aliens. Themes: fear, ignorance, social experimentation, torture, hatred, détente.

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The Schreuderspitze

The Schreuderspitzee: Short story by Mark HelprinIn this story by Mark Helprin, a grieving German photographer finds a unique way of getting over the accidental death of his wife and son. Two years after the accident, he disappears without trace. Leaving his lodgings and photographic equipment behind, he relocates to a small, remote town in the Alps. There, he decides to become a mountain climber and ascend the dangerous Schreuderspitze peak alone. He trains hard, teaches himself how to climb from books, buys the necessary equipment, and “succeeds” in a most unusual way. Themes include loss, grief, escape, isolation, a quest, dreams vs. reality, renewal.

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Wandering Willie’s Tale

Wandering Willie's Tale: Short story by Sir Walter ScottWarning, this story by Sir Walter Scott can be hard going for inexperienced readers due to its use of original dialect and obsolete vocabulary. When a violent Scottish Lord presses a tenant for long outstanding rent, the man borrows the money and returns to pay it. The Lord dies as he hands it over, and the money disappears during the commotion. The Lord’s son doesn’t believe the rent was paid, and demands payment. A mysterious stranger helps the devastated tenant by accompanying him to hell to collect a receipt. Themes: changing times, the supernatural, beware who you travel with.

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Immortality

Immortality: Short story by Yiyun LiYiyun Li’s story exploring aspects of China’s transition from empire to communist super-power is unusual in that its point of view is not that of a single character, but rather the collective voice of a rural community. Central themes are lack of power of the individual (symbolized by emasculation), and abuse of power by the ruling classes. Secondary themes are the methods adopted by the Communist Party to consolidate its power (indoctrination through cultism, repression and fear), and the changes taking place as modern technology exposes the masses to Western lifestyles and values.

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