Featured Stories

An Outpost of Progress

An Outpost of Progress: Short story by Joseph ConradJoseph Conrad’s major theme in this story is the hypocrisy of colonialism. Motivated by greed, the bumbling administrators of a remote African trading post rationalize their activities by talking about the sacredness of the civilizing work, and the merits of those who (go) about bringing light, and faith and commerce to the dark places of the earth. They denigrate the local tribesmen, but make no effort to learn their language or customs. Ironically, being cut off from civilization results in their moral, physical and mental decline to an even lower level of savagery. Themes: colonialism, greed, slavery, isolation, madness.

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Last Courtesies

Last Courtesies: Short story by Ella LefflandThis story by Ella Leffland contrasts the way the protagonist, a widow in her late fifties, handles life’s challenges with the approaches taken by her dignified, “old-fashioned” aunt and an eccentric, sometimes mentally unstable friend of her aunt who has appointed himself her “protector”. Unable to cope with noisy neighbors and daily problems following the death of her aunt and long-time companion, the woman suffers a nervous breakdown. After an argument with her “protector”, she falls prey to a vicious serial killer. Themes include alienation and isolation, eccentricity, judgement, passivity vs. assertiveness, rudeness vs. civility, fear, violence.

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Someone to Talk To

Someone to Talk To: Short story by Deborah EisenbergThe major theme of this story by Deborah Eisenberg is the need to be heard. A once up-and-coming concert pianist struggles to deal with a stalled career and failed relationship. Potential salvation arrives with an invitation to perform in an unnamed Latin American Country. Patronizing treatment by the concert’s upper-class organizers, a walk through poorer neighborhoods, and the inane behavior of an English radio journalist, emphasize the importance for people of all persuasions to not only speak out, but also be heard and understood. Other themes: loneliness, alienation, elitism, class, poverty, oppression, indifference to the suffering of others.

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Passing Wind

Passing Wind: Flash story by Lydia DavisFor me, the most enjoyable aspect of this humorous flash story from Lydia Davis is that it describes an embarrassing situation we have all probably encountered: after going to great lengths to silently pass wind among a group of strangers, the smell gives us away. Do we say nothing, excuse ourselves, or immediately cast a dirty look at the person standing next to us? Here the narrator faces a slightly different dilemma. She tries to think of a polite way to let a guest know that if he didn’t do it, then it wasn’t her but the dog.

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Mother and Daughter

Mother and Daughter: Short story by Gary SotoIn this story from Gary Soto, the close relationship between a struggling single mother and her eighth-grade daughter is tested by a wardrobe malfunction at a school dance. Mrs. Moreno is a flamboyant, hard-working, devoted mother. Her daughter Yollie appears genuinely appreciative of her mother’s efforts and understanding of their financial position. After fleeing the fall dance to avoid embarrassment, Yollie directs her frustration and anger toward her mother. It is Mrs Moreno, not Yollie, who cries herself to sleep that night. The themes: motherly love and the hurt that can be caused by a single thoughtless action.

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Lamb to the Slaughter

Lamb to the Slaughter: Short story by Roald DahlThe title of this story by Roald Dahl may have a clever double meaning. On the one hand, we have a woman who uses a lamb, or rather a frozen leg of lamb, to kill her husband. On the other, it may relate to the English idiom “Like a lamb to the Slaughter”. This would lead to the question: Which of the characters (the husband, the wife or both) could be described as someone going calmly about their business, not knowing that something very unpleasant is about to happen to them? Themes include betrayal, identity/gender stereotyping, injustice and revenge.

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Beggar My Neighbor

Beggar My Neighbor: Short story by Dan JacobsonIn this story by Dan Jacobson, a white South African boy is confronted by the cruel realities of racism when a charitable decision to give food to two black street children gets out of hand. As the children approach him with increasing frequency, his attitude towards them changes from pity and condescension to contempt and hatred. In an epiphany that comes in a dream, he realizes that they hate him just as much as he does them, and simply want to be treated with dignity. Themes include poverty, compassion, vanity, fantasy, social class, racism, humanity.

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Like the Sun

Like the Sun: Short story by R. K. NarayanThe major theme of this story by R. K. Narayan is the nature and consequences of truth. After observing that relationships involve tempering truth so as not to hurt one another, the protagonist adds that life is not worth living without telling nothing but the truth at least one day each year. On one of these days, his honesty upsets three people. The first two are needlessly hurt; the third, although unhappy, benefits from his frankness. The story shows that truth is indeed like the sun: most of the time warm and nourishing, but also capable of causing serious damage.

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