Town and Country Lovers

Town and Country Lovers: Short story by Nadine GordimerAlthough the South African law banning sexual intercourse between “whites” and “non-whites” was repealed in 1985 (five years after Nadine Gordimer wrote this story), inter-racial and inter-religious relationships are still frowned upon in some cultures. Moreover, as in the story, the consequences for women are often much more severe than for men. Despite the obvious affection between the two couples in the story, questions arise as to whether for the men the sex was a function of convenience rather than love, and the extent to which the women initially felt pressured into participating. Themes: forbidden love, sexual coercion, unequal consequences.

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The Blues I’m Playing

The Blues I'm Playing: Short story by Langston HughesThis story from Langston Hughes contrasts two women with very different outlooks on life. A wealthy, white, middle-aged widow finds purpose and intimacy through the patronization of young artists. Tensions emerge when the woman, who expects her protégés to behave in a manner consistent with her high social standing, takes on a black pianist for the first time. The talented, independent, working class young woman has her own ideas on life, love, and the music she wants to play. Themes: art, paternalism vs. independence, race and racism, sexuality, the significance and transforming power of music.

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Johnny Mnemonic

Johnny Mnemonic: Short story by William GibsonThe protagonist in this pioneering cyberpunk story by William Gibson is a data courier. To escape a Yakuza assassin, he must decode a message in a secure storage device implanted in his brain. When the client who holds the password is killed, he turns to razor-fingered Molly Millions, Jones the dolphin, and the “Lo Teks”, Molly’s anti-technology friends, for help. The major theme, given that every major character has some kind of bionic enhancement, is identity (how technology can blur the line between man and machine). Other themes: body augmentation, corporate power, organized crime.

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The Rockpile

The Rockpile: Short story by James BaldwinThis partly autobiographical story from James Baldwin explores aspects of African-American life in Depression-era Harlem. It contrasts religious zeal with violence and division in the community. In addition to the violence taking place in the children’s “gang” skirmishes on the rockpile, a climate of fear and intimidation exists in the protagonist’s household. Religion is presented not as an uplifting faith that gives meaning to life, but rather something to be feared and obeyed, and through which people are automatically classified as either “redeemed” or “wicked”. Themes: religion, fear, obedience/temptation, choices and consequences, alienation, motherly love.

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The Weeping Fig

The Weeping Fig: Short story by Judith WrightThis story by Judith Wright is a tribute to the pioneering families who tamed the harsh Australian outback. A man comes into possession of his great-grandfather’s diary. In search of his roots, he visits the cattle station on which his ancestors had settled. He finds what he came for in a weeping fig tree planted by his great-grandmother… a mass of green and the tallest tree for miles. The tree stands as a testament to his forefathers’ courage and determination, and in reconciliation for their failure. Themes include man vs. nature, the pioneering spirit, hope, suffering and defeat, reconciliation, identity/connection.

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The Night the Bed Fell / Ghost Got In

The Night the Bed Fell / Ghost Got In: Short stories by James ThurberThese two light-hearted comedies from James Thurber involve the same house, the same family (notionally Thurber’s), the same attic bed, and the same message common in slapstick humor: Things aren’t always as they initially seem. In the first story, confusion over the location of a collapsing bed results in chaos in the house. In the second, ghostly sounds in the night extend the pandemonium to involve a neighbor and the police. Both stories include themes of memories, eccentricity, paranoia, misunderstanding and mayhem. The Night the Ghost Got In includes additional themes of the supernatural and responding to the unknown.

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The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty: Short story by James ThurberA major theme of this story by James Thurber is escapism (in this case taking charge of one’s life through fantasy). Walter Mitty, a meek, blundering man who leads a mundane suburban life is perhaps the world’s best-known daydreamer. Constantly humiliated by his dominating, nagging wife and others he encounters in the community, his way of compensating is to escape into exciting, imaginary worlds. There, he acts out fantasies in which he is the opposite of his real self, performing wondrous feats and bravely facing all kinds of danger. Other themes: identity, self-respect, masculinity, gender roles.

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A Christmas Memory

A Christmas Memory: Short story by Truman CapoteThis sentimental Christmas story from Truman Capote takes readers back to a time when children created their own fun and could safely explore the outdoors alone. The protagonist, a seven-year-old-boy, and his aged but child-like female cousin are best friends; two outsiders who help each other deal with being alone in the world. It is telling that their Christmas fruitcakes are not for neighbors and those who have power/know best (their pious carers), but strangers who either “strike their fancy” or have shown kindness towards them over the years. Themes: nostalgia, Christmas, friendship, innocence, isolation, poverty, coming of age.

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