Quick Reads

The Eyes Have It / The Girl on the Train

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The Eyes Have It / Girl on the Train: Short story by Ruskin Bond In this story by Ruskin Bond, a blind man sitting in an empty train carriage is joined by a young woman. He is attracted by the sound of her voice as she farewells her family, and even the sound of her slippers. As he initiates a conversation, he decides to conceal the fact that he is blind. This extends to pretending to look out the window and describe the passing countryside. He is successful, only to learn after the woman exits the train that she is also blind. Themes include independence, loneliness, desire, self-consciousness, pretence, perception vs. reality.

The Blue Jar

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The Blue Jar: Short story by Isak Dinesen (aka Karen Blixen) In this Isak Dinesen (aka Karen Blixen) story, a shipwreck leads to a quest. A sailor rescues the daughter of an art-collecting nobleman from a burning ship. They spend nine days alone in a lifeboat, during which they become lovers. The nobleman pays the sailor to return to sea, and she spends the rest of her life sailing the world, ostensibly seeking a uniquely colored Chinese porcelain jar. The jar, a symbol of the woman’s lost youth and time in the lifeboat, becomes her final resting place. Themes: enduring love, class, aging, beauty in art vs. the beauty of nature.

Happy-Endings

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Happy Endings: Short story by Margaret Atwood The six “mini-stories” in this short meta-fictional narrative from Margaret Atwood satirize a common element of the story form. In the process, they touch on a myriad of themes including marriage and romance, family life, self-gratification, desperation, suicide, murder, virtue and compassion. The message seems to be that the ultimate denouement of a story matters little; the key is in its exposition and “How and Why” of events in between. The story also provides a lesson in life: What people will remember most about us after our book is closed is the how and why of the way we lived.

Key Item

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Key Item: Short story by Isaac Asimov In this story, Isaac Asimov’s favorite supercomputer Multivac has a big problem. It doesn’t respond to commands, and isn’t following its built-in program to self-diagnose the cause. As the global economy depends on Mulitvac, this could result in panic across the world. Teams of technicians have been trying to identify what is wrong for three days. Finally, a scientist discovers the “key item” needed to fix the problem. It is a simple thing that we are all taught to use as children. Themes include the dangers of Artificial Intelligence and/or relying solely on technology, scientific hubris, good manners.

Hills Like White Elephants

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Hills Like White Elephants: Short story by Ernest Hemingway This story by Ernest Hemingway is aptly set at a railway junction. A couple waiting for a train have an important decision to make that will determine the direction of their lives. Unfortunately, they have reached a point in their relationship where they find it hard to open up and talk about their feelings. Although the man says he will leave it up to the woman, he puts subtle pressure on her to choose his way. Themes: perspective (male vs. female views on pregnancy and abortion), choices and consequences (freedom vs. family), language and communication (disconnection), dependence and control.

Hermann the Irascible (Story of the Great Weep)

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Hermann the Iracible: Short story by Saki This story by Saki is a classic example of the use of reverse psychology to achieve a desired result… in this case, shutting down the women’s suffrage movement. The story first appeared in 1909 at the height of mass demonstrations of both men and women in support of the cause. I have seen some suggestions that the story trivializes women’s rights. This misses the point that Saki’s use of satire is so “over the top” here that, rather than mocking suffrage, the story highlights and supports it. Themes include human rights, tyranny, manipulation through excess.

The Portrait of a Lady

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The Portrait of a Lady: Short story by Khushwant Singh Published in 1948, Khushwant Singh’s moving tribute to his grandmother was the first story of his long and distinguished writing career. The story spans a period of twenty years, from Singh’s earliest memories of the “so terribly old but always beautiful” woman, to her peaceful passing in almost surreal circumstances. He recalls their close friendship during his early schooling, the “turning point” when they moved to live with his parents in the city, and their growing estrangement as Western influences and higher education demands came between them. Themes: grandmother-grandson relationship (love, devotion), generation gap (education, culture), piety, change.

The Laugher

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The Laugher: Short story by Heinrich Boll It is tempting to dismiss this story by Heinrich Böll as an entertaining bit of nonsense. On the surface, it is the unlikely tale of a once aspiring actor whose only talent is laughing convincingly and, where required, infectiously on demand. Although much sought after and a financial success, he detests the work because laughter is not in line with his usually sombre character. The story is a sad metaphor for the millions of people around the world who also find themselves trapped in unsatisfying jobs for which they may not be suited.