This story by Aharon Appelfeld describes the emergence of six Jews from their forest hiding place at the end of World War 2. Each has been physically or mentally scarred by the experience. One rushes off immediately, but the others are reluctant to move. They feast on food and alcohol abandoned by departing soldiers, leaving only when thawing snow fills their bunker with water. They then join a long line of refugees, their presence among whom is met with surprise, prejudice and kindness. Themes include camaraderie, survival, the aftermath of war, uncertainty, superstition/sorcery, hope. More…
A Family Supper
A common feature of Kazuo Ishiguro stories is their ambiguous endings. A young Japanese man returns home after living in America following a falling out with his parents. His mother has died from eating poisonous fugu fish, and his father feels disgraced over the collapse of his business. As a matter of honour, his business partner killed his family and committed suicide following the collapse. At the end of the day, the family sits down to a delicious fish supper prepared by the father. Themes include change (heritage and tradition vs. modernity), generational conflict, family disconnection, grief, guilt, “honour”, murder-suicide. More…
Sleeping Beauty
Today we have a reverse chronology of the folktales behind the classic children’s story, Sleeping Beauty. The famous kiss that woke the princess comes from the Brothers Grimm’s Briar-Rose (1812). Charles Perrault’s Sleeping Beauty in the Wood (1697) has no kiss but lots of talk, a hasty wedding followed by a night of “very little sleep”, and an added section where the prince’s mother (an Ogress) decides to make a meal of their children. Perault’s inspiration was the Giambattista Basile’s Sun, Moon and Talia (1634). Here, the king “gathers the first fruits of love” (rapes) the poor unconscious girl. More…
Mrs. Bathurst
A major theme of this enigmatic story by Rudyard Kipling is the potential destructive power of love. Interestingly, we never meet the two central characters: Mrs. Bathurst, a New Zealand hotel keeper renowned for her kindness to needy sailors, and “Click” Vickery, a naval warrant officer who once had a serious affair with her. Vickery becomes so obsessed with a cinematograph clip in a traveling circus showing Mrs. Bathurst in London that he deserts his ship and follows the circus to the next town. Other themes include alienation, chance and accident, ambiguity, passion, death and guilt. More…
The Green Leaves
This story from Grace Ogot reads like a folktale. With an overall theme of culture conflict between the modern world and the traditions and beliefs of a Kenyan tribe, the plot can be divided into three sections. The first (ending with Nyagar’s death) has themes of crime, tribal justice, violence, superstition and greed. The second, involving the British authorities, emphasizes colonial arrogance and cultural insensitivity. The third, in which Nyagar’s wife laments his death, introduces a feminist theme. Her chant reflects not only her own loss, but also the powerlessness and complete dependence of all village women on their husbands. More…