Death in the Woods

Death in the Woods: Short story by Sherwood AndersonThis story is heralded as Sherwood Anderson’s finest work. Containing very little dialogue, it tells of the sad life of an exploited, hard-working woman whose frozen body in the woods radiates a mystical beauty. If readers will excuse the pun, one aspect of the story leaves me a little cold. The first person narrator, a young boy, seems to have way too much information about the woman’s history to make the backstory he provides convincing. Themes include workplace abuse, poverty, loneliness and isolation, gender roles, beauty and desire, and from the narrator’s perspective, completion of one’s destiny (feeding animal life!).

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The Age of Lead

The Age of Lead: Short story by Margaret AtwoodIn this story by Margaret Atwood, a frozen 150-year-old body buried in the permafrost provides a lesson for the living. The story uses the solution to mystery cause of death of members of the ill-fated Franklin Expedition to highlight the dangers of consumerism and modern technology such as soil and water pollution, toxic waste and acid rain. The issues are brought home in the parallel story involving the the protagonist’s frustrating relationship with her eccentric, possibly gay lifetime friend who dies of an unknown viral infection. Themes include tragedy, side effects of consumerism and technology, individuality, friendship/unfulfilled love.

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Lajwanti

Lajwanti: Short story by Rajinder Singh BediThanks to a 2006 tele-film, this has become Urdu writer Rajinder Singh Bedi’s signature story. Set in the violent upheaval of British India’s 1947 partition, it follows Sunderlal, a Hindu activist whose wife, Lajwanti, is abducted into Pakistan. The ironic descriptions of domestic life (Lajwanti considered vicious beatings from Sunderlal “normal”, and appears confused by the kind treatment of her Muslim captor) highlight traditional Indian attitudes towards women at the time. A second irony is that although Sunderlal campaigns for the rehabilitation of abducted women, he refuses to discuss Lajwanti’s experiences with her, preventing both from finding closure.

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The Black Cat

The Black Cat: Short story by Edgar Allan PoeThe Stephen Kings of the writing world tend to use external, often supernatural forces as their instruments of terror. With Edgar Allan Poe, the horror generally develops from the tortured mind of man. The protagonist here has lost his mind to alcoholism. Like many alcoholics, he becomes violent when in a drunken state. This is initially directed towards family pets. Extreme cruelty to animals can indicate psychopathic tendencies, and this proves true later in the story when he shows no remorse for any of his actions, including the murder of his wife. Themes: alcoholism, mental illness, brutality, death.

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An Unsound Sleep

An Unsound Sleep: Short story by Nhat TienThis story by Nhat Tien is set during the Vietnamese Buddhist Crisis of 1963. An old man’s contented existence is shattered when his only daughter is involved in, and subsequently jailed for, anti-government activities. Rather than focus on the violence of the revolt and ensuing CIA backed coup, the story contrasts the idealistic expectations of the daughter and her revolutionary boyfriend with what comes after. When released from prison the couple find that, although Buddhists have gained religious freedom, little else has changed. Themes include family, poverty, freedom, idealism, sacrifice, futility, alcohol abuse.

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War

War: Short story by Luigi PirandelloIf you are looking for an action-packed war story, this is not for you. Set in Italy during World War One, this story by Luigi Pirandello is a dialogue-packed discussion among the parents of men who are going or have gone off to war about its impact on their lives. The central themes are patriotism, duty, fear, sacrifice and grief. The climax comes when a man who claimed to be above grief because his son died honorably for his country breaks into tears when forced to confront the fact that the boy really is dead and gone forever.

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The Yellow Wallpaper

The Yellow Wallpaper: Short story by Charlotte Perkins GilmanThis partly autobiographical story by Charlotte Gilman describes the experiences of a creative, imaginative woman suffering from post-natal depression. She follows the then (1890s) generally accepted medical advice to spend her time “resting” in semi-isolation. Gilman skillfully uses the setting to turn an otherwise clinical account of a mental breakdown into a chilling psychological horror story. Although living in a colonial mansion amid idyllic countryside, the poor woman spends most of her time in a prison-like room with creepy wallpaper. Major themes include the fallibility of doctors and our reluctance to question them, mental illness, freedom and self-expression, and gender roles in society.

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Jealous Husband Returns in Form of Parrot

Jealous Husband Returns in Form of Parrot: Short story by Robert Olen BakerThe major messages of this playful story by Robert Olen Butler are the importance of communication in a relationship, and that jealousy can develop into a dangerous obsession. A jealous husband who did not articulate his love or concerns enough is resurrected as a parrot and purchased as a pet by his recently widowed wife. When taken “home” in a cage, he finds she is enjoying her newfound freedom with a string of other partners. Ironically, now realizes how much he loves her, but doesn’t have the vocabulary to tell her. Themes include love, communication, infidelity, jealousy, obsession.

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