In this story by H. E. Bates a man recovering from a troubled marriage begins a passionate affair with a lonely woman working at a beach-side café. The climax is his sense of confusion, anger, and betrayal when, having lied and told her he is single, he learns she is also married. Her husband works away from home and returns on weekends. For her, the relationship with the man appears primarily sexual. She presses him to remain her mid-week lover, and he could well be too weak-willed to refuse. Themes include isolation, loneliness, insecurity, sexuality, deception, jealousy. More…
The Man to Send Rain Clouds
This playful story by Leslie Marmon Silko illustrates how two cultures, one indigenous and very much attached to their land, the other foreign and dominant, coexist. When an aging Pueblo Native American dies tending their sheep, his people plan to give him a traditional tribal burial. They deceive a young Catholic priest, who would have insisted on a Christian ceremony, but later find they need something from him. Themes include death, tradition, adaptability (by the tribe as a means of mitigating culture clash) and flexibility (by the priest as a means of being accepted into the community). More…
The Possibility of Evil
The major theme of this Shirley Jackson story is that appearances can be misleading. A secondary theme, which is particularly relevant these days, is ‘fake news’. Miss Strangeworth, who possibly suffers from OCD, believes that her letters, although based purely on suspicion, are for the good of the community. Her objective may be noble, but many of the thoughts expressed are evil. The story’s message is two-fold: 1) we must be constantly on guard against the “possibility of evil”; and 2) evil is sometimes committed under the guise of seemingly good causes. Other themes: heritage, haughtiness, alienation, community, revenge. More…
I Could See the Smallest Things
The title of this story by Raymond Carver is somewhat ironic. When protagonist Nancy looks out her bedroom window, she can see the smallest of things. What she can’t see or won’t acknowledge are the big things in her life that need attention. Concern about her open gate and multiple references to fences symbolize three important themes: insecurity, alienation, and fear of the outside world and/or change. Neighbor Sam’s garden pests represent another: inertia (sluggishness). Sam has moved on from his problems in life; Nancy and husband Cliff have not. Other themes: alcohol abuse, regret, emptiness and lack of fulfilment. More…
Zoo
This very short science fiction tale from Edward Hoch is an excellent story to illustrate the meaning of point of view in literature. A traveling zoo makes annual visits to world cities. But this is no ordinary zoo: it is a space ship displaying strange creatures from different parts of the universe. The story can be interpreted from three perspectives: the people who visit the zoo, Professor Hugo’s (the zoo’s owner), and the creatures behind bars inside. Each sees the zoo differently, and benefits from the visit in a different way. More…