In this story from Aimee Bender, a man who is so sad about the world that he laments thinking about it has a wish come true. For no apparent reason he begins to experience reverse evolution, shedding millions of years a day. He regresses into an ape, then a sea turtle, and finally a small salamander, which his lover frees into the ocean. All she has left is her memories of him, which she clings to because if he’s not here, it’s her job to remember. Themes include overthinking and emotional detachment, love and caregiving, loss and remembrance. More…
A Tale of the Tontlawald
As is all too often the case in folk and fairy tales, the central plot here involves a young girl who is badly treated by a cruel stepmother, has a series of adventures, marries a handsome prince, and lives happily ever after. The big difference here is that the finds refuge and friendship in Tontlawald, a vast stretch of moorland on which no man ever dared set foot. To her surprise, she learns that it is a magical fairyland where people never age. When she outgrows the playmate who discovered her, she is told that she must leave. More…
Bears Discover Fire
This story from Terry Bisson includes several important themes. Although bears may be thousands of years behind man in discovering fire, they are portrayed as being well ahead of us in terms of consideration, compassion, sharing and inclusiveness. The major theme is the effect of our modern lifestyle on families. Sixty-one-year-old Bobby does his best for his dying mother who, with only the TV for company at her nursing home, has given up on life. His brother is too busy “ministering” and selling real-estate to make time for her, or even pay attention to the needs of his growing son. More…
The Outcasts of Poker Flat
Bret Harte’s “outcasts” are four “improper persons” (a gambler, a prostitute, a brothel madam, and a drunkard and suspected thief) banished by a vigilante group from a Californian Gold Rush town. When they camp for the night on the way to the next settlement, the drunkard steals their horses. The other three and a young couple journeying the other way find themselves “snowed in” in a secluded mountain cabin. With food and firewood running low, we see another side of the remaining outcasts. Themes: appearances; immorality vs. innocence; goodness; sacrifice; the power of nature; luck, fate and human agency. More…
The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven
This story by Sherman Alexie highlights the difficulty tribal Native-Americans have assimilating into American society. A Spokane Indian recalls his breakup with a white kindergarten teacher he loved. Their relationship was one of constant fights and arguments, often over his excessive drinking. Tortured by violent dreams, he returned to the community of the reservation. After several idle months he once again finds work in the outside world, where a call from his ex-girlfriend suggests they still have feelings for one another but are too afraid to pursue them. Themes include community vs. isolation, prejudice, alcohol abuse, love and hatred. More…