William Faulkner’s “Emily” is an eccentric woman who had a privileged upbringing in America’s ‘Old South’. There was talk of mental illness in the family, which may explain her difficulty in accepting her father’s death. They were close and, as he had rejected all suitors as not being good enough, she was left alone in the world. When she finally finds love in the unlikely form of a working class Northerner, she takes steps to ensure they remain together for the rest of their lives. Themes: patriarchal control, class, tradition vs. progress, death, isolation and loneliness, pride, gossip, obsessive love. More…
The Hungry Stones
The central theme of this story by Rabindranath Tagore is the nature of truth (i.e. that our beliefs, experiences and circumstances tend to shape our perception of reality). A train passenger shares a story about the time he stayed alone in a deserted, seemingly haunted palace. According to local legend, those who slept there either disappeared or went mad. Unfortunately, the train arrives before he discloses the palace’s secret. The narrator dismisses the story as a fabrication. His companion, a theosophist who believes in the spirit world, disagrees. Other themes include the supernatural, greed and desire, fear, uncertainty. More…
The Tale of the Two Oxen / Do Bailon Ki Katha
This story by Premchand has three important themes: kindness to animals, friendship and faith. A series of adventures begin for two oxen (Hira and Moti) when Jhuri, their much-loved owner, lends them to his wife’s brother who lives far away. The brother-in-law mistreats the poor animals and, with the help of a kind girl, they run away. Their friendship gives them the strength to endure an attack by a raging bull, beatings and starvation before being sold to a butcher. As they almost lose hope and begin to question their faith in god, a ‘miracle’ helps them return home. More…
The Kitemaker
The major themes of this Ruskin Bond story are change and the isolation/loneliness of the aged. An old man in a once rural Indian village lays back and reflects on his life as a professional kitemaker and how much the world has changed. The village’s traditional social structure, sport of adult kite flying, open spaces, and once close community spirit are no more. His only joy in life is spending time with and making kites for his grandson. A torn kite carried by the wind far above the city symbolizes release of his soul. Other themes: tradition, nostalgia, pride, mortality. More…
The Drowned Giant
In this story by J. G. Ballard, the body of a giant man is dehumanized because of its otherworldly size. Left to rot on a beach, it first becomes a tourist attraction and later a source of exploitation as various body parts are taken for commercial purposes or as souvenirs. The narrator, who is clearly disturbed by the disrespectful way the body is treated, perceives it as having a transcendent, Homeric quality. This begs a fascinating question: What does it take to be considered human? Themes include humanity, identity, mortality, curiosity, fear (of a potentially superior race), fame, exploitation. More…