This story by Fredric Brown explores the use of black magic to solve a marriage problem. Mr and Mrs Decker have decided on a divorce. Love has turned to hate, and the break-up is not friendly. The biggest issue they need to agree on is the financial settlement. Mrs Decker wants half of everything; Mr Decker thinks this is too much. She knows voodoo, and tells him she could use it to kill and him and get everything if he didn’t agree. This leads to an all-or-nothing bet. Themes include hatred, divorce, greed, the supernatural. More…
Boule de Suif / Ball of Fat
Regarded as one of Guy de Maupassant’s greatest works, this story explores the interactions between a prostitute with the unfortunate nickname Boule de Suif (Ball of Fat) and nine other coach passengers fleeing the Franco-Prussian War. Her fellow travelers comprise a cross-section of “respectable” French society: politics, business, the nobility and religion. Maupassant’s sad message about nineteenth-century France is that no matter what shows of kindness or sacrifices people of the lower classes make, they are unlikely to be treated with respect and dignity by those of higher social standing. Themes: social class, patriotism, manipulation, exploitation, sacrifice/moral compromise, ingratitude, hypocrisy. More…
The Baby (The First Thing the Baby Did Wrong)
This story by Donald Barthelme may be confronting for some readers because it appears to make light of an example of child abuse. Through exaggeration and humor, Barthelme leads us to his central theme: the coming of a baby can change the whole dynamics of family relationships. Most parents like to think that they are the ones in control. However, all too often they find themselves dancing to their child’s tune. By the end of the story, this baby has totally turned the tables. Some might even say that it has been guilty of a form of parental abuse! More…
Marjorie Daw
The major theme of this story by Thomas Aldrich is how well-intentioned deception can lead to unexpected results. A wealthy, self-absorbed young man has difficulty adjusting to being confined to a sofa with a broken leg. His doctor asks the man’s best friend, who is holidaying near the sea with his sick father, to write frequently in order to “distract and cheer him up”. The friend complies, beginning with an innocent white lie about the beautiful girl living across the road. Unfortunately, as is often the case, one lie leads to another and soon the distraction grows into an obsession. More…
The Perfect Match
In this dystopian story by Ken Liu, a powerful cyber system gathers information on the habits, desires and preferences of almost everyone in the world. Through its motherly virtual assistant “Tilly” (Hey Google!), it uses this information to control unfavourable governments and manipulate user’s lives, including autosuggesting products from advertising partners. A member of a rebellious hacking group and disillusioned lawyer caught trying to take down the system are made an offer they cannot refuse. Themes include corporate greed vs. “benevolence”, the dangers of overreliance on AI (blind acceptance and loss of humanity), manipulation and control, rebellion. More…