Although attributed to the folklore of Schoharie County New York, this folktale almost certainly has German origins. In common with Perrault’s famous Bluebeard, the plot involves a large house, a set of keys and a room that must not be entered. The main difference is that in this story the heroine falls in love with and marries a bull! Having killed and decapitated her older sisters, the beast was planning the same fate for her. The story teaches two life lessons: 1) don’t let curiosity get the better of you; and 2) black cats are not so evil after all. More…
Diamond Dust: A Tragedy
This story by Anita Desai uses dark humor to highlight themes of loneliness, pet love, tolerance, alienation, conformity and fulfillment. A puppy of “indecipherable” breed brought home by a conservative Indian public servant causes havoc in his home and neighborhood as it grows into an almost uncontrollable, ferocious badmash. Mr Das, who has a secure job and is seemingly happily married, is clearly missing something in life. Although his obsession with the dog fills this gap and brings about a kind of second childhood, it leads to condemnation and ridicule from his wife and colleagues, and anger from the community. More…
Scout’s Honor
In this story from Edward Wortis (aka Avi), three bumbling friends demonstrate how not to go about passing a Boy Scout camping test. It is fortunate the story is set in the 1940s. If three nine year-olds were to set off as poorly prepared as they were these days, the ending probably wouldn’t be as happy. The major theme is that taking part in a challenge is more important that completing or winning it. Other themes: friendship, pride, poor planning and preparation, toughness (in this case being prepared to admit when something is too difficult), and scout’s honor (applied selectively!) More…
The Blue Jar
In this Isak Dinesen (aka Karen Blixen) story, a shipwreck leads to a quest. A sailor rescues the daughter of an art-collecting nobleman from a burning ship. They spend nine days alone in a lifeboat, during which they become lovers. The nobleman pays the sailor to return to sea, and she spends the rest of her life sailing the world, ostensibly seeking a uniquely colored Chinese porcelain jar. The jar, a symbol of the woman’s lost youth and time in the lifeboat, becomes her final resting place. Themes: enduring love, class, aging, beauty in art vs. the beauty of nature. More…
The Last Rung on the Ladder
This heart-wrenching story by Stephen King explores a common feature of modern life: the way many families drift apart as younger members leave home. As children, the protagonist and his younger sister shared a life-threatening adventure involving a broken ladder. The girl’s comment afterwards: I knew you must have been doing something to fix it. You’re my big brother. I knew you’d take care of me. Later in life, he is too busy climbing a different ladder to be there when needed. Themes include faith, family drift, loss of innocence, isolation, despair, guilt. More…