Luck

Luck: Short story by Samuel Clemens (aka Mark Twain)As the name implies, the major theme of Luck by Samuel Clemens (aka Mark Twain) is just that — Luck! Its main message is that good fortune can result in the most unlikely people achieving greatness. Other themes include envy and injustice. The clergyman envies Lieutenant General Lord Arthur Scoresby, V.C., K.C.B., etc. for his successes in life… especially on the battlefield where, in reality, he didn’t seem to know back from forwards and right from left. There is also a sense of injustice in that the General appears to show no appreciation for the clergyman’s role in his success.

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Guests of the Nation

Guests of the Nation: Short story by Frank O'ConnorThis story by Frank O’Connor takes place during, or possibly shortly after, the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921). Two young Irishmen become friends with two English ‘prisoners’ they are guarding. That is until a cold-hearted officer orders them to take part in the execution of the men. As one notes at the end of the story: And anything that happened to me afterwards, I never felt the same about again. Themes: friendship, religion vs. atheism, choices and consequences, aspects of war (duty vs. morality, brutality, the humanity of enemy combatants, possible long-term psychological effects).

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An Astrologer’s Day

An Astrologer's Day: Short story by R. K. NarayanThe “astrologer” in this story by R. K. Narayan is a fake, making a living by knowing enough about human nature to trick people into believing he has mystical powers. One day, he bargains with a reluctant passer-by to answer a question for many times his usual fee. He tries to cancel the reading immediately the passer-by sits down, but the man forcibly insists he continues. Although a deliberate lie, his answer not only eases the tormented man’s mind, but also brings in peace and redemption to himself. Themes include deception, fate, crime and punishment, revenge, redemption, spirituality, greed.

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The Falling Girl

The Falling Girl: Short story by Dino BuzzattiThe meaning of this thought-provoking story by Dino Buzzati is reflected in both the building and the girl. The skyscraper is a metaphor for society: the idle rich party at the “top”, as the working class scurry about at the bottom. The story represents an attractive young woman’s journey from the glamor and excitement of the “high life” to the loneliness, frailty and fears of old age. In the sad conclusion, she has no one to mourn her (hear the “thud”) when she hits the ground. Themes include social class, consumerism, envy, lack of fulfilment, ageing, alienation and loneliness.

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Greyhound People

Greyhound People: Short story by Alice AdamsThis story by Alice Adams consists of several “snapshots” of the narrator’s encounters with fellow passengers on Greyhound buses. Recently divorced and facing potential homelessness, the woman’s self-esteem is at an all-time low. Taken in by an overbearing friend, her life has deteriorated into a daily grind. Faced with an inter-city bus commute morning and evening, the situations she encounters and people she meets awaken her to a whole new world. For perhaps the first time in her life, she begins to act independently and step out of her comfort zone. Themes: isolation, insecurity, friendship, dependency, anxiety/fear, personal growth.

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The Duchess and the Jeweller

Seventh Grade: Short story by Gary SotoThis story by Virginia Woolf reflects the period in which the moral decadence of British aristocracy led to its loss of respect among the people and the rising influence of newly rich commoners. It also shows how both groups could be equally ruthless in achieving their goals. The Duchess represents the aristocracy, corruptly trying to sell a fake set of pearls by taking advantage of the Jeweller’s interest in her daughter. The Jeweller represents the newly rich, craving social acceptance and willing to waste £20,000 buying fake pearls to achieve it. Themes include greed, vanity, social class, appearance, deception, racism.

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The Ambitious Guest

The Ambitious Guest: Short story by Nathaniel HawthorneBased on a true event, this Nathaniel Hawthorne story illustrates the power of nature and the futility of man in trying to best it. A young man stops at an inn high on a mountain pass and boasts to the family inside about his ambition to do something great to be remembered by. Above the inn are towering mountains from which rocks and boulders are frequently dislodged. The family have built a safe house nearby in the event of an avalanche, but when the ‘slide’ comes, nature wins. Other themes include hubris, ambition, contentment, connection, fate.

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The Tall Woman

The Tall Woman: Short story by Pedro Antonio de AlarcónIn this story by Pedro Antonio de Alarcón, a young engineer’s life-long phobia about meeting a woman on a deserted street in the early hours of the morning appears well-founded. On two nights, three years apart, he encounters the same tall, fearsome-looking woman. On each occasion, he receives news of the of death of a loved one the following morning. To add to the mystery, when the engineer dies several months later, the tall woman appears at the cemetery and laughs as his coffin is unloaded from the hearse. Themes include irrational fear, coincidence vs. fate, the supernatural.

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