In this story by Morley Callaghan, a young man working in a railway café is completing his last shift before leaving town to attend college. Shortly before finishing up, he receives a phone call from a customer he has admired but never spoken to asking him to come to her home. When he gets there, she encourages him to sit down, kiss and “make out” for a short time. The woman is married, and this is her way of fulfilling an important desire without being unfaithful to her husband. Themes include the need for passionate human contact, manipulation. More…
Debbie and Julie
This poignant story from Doris Lessing deals with the experiences of Julie, a runaway teen in her last year of high school. ‘Accidentally’ impregnated, she runs away from home out of fear of her father’s reaction. She flees to London where Debbie, a compassionate call girl, takes her in and acts as a protector and mother figure. Unfortunately, Debbie is away when the baby comes. Julie carries out a grotesque self-birthing plan and must face the difficult choice regarding the baby’s future alone. Themes include parent-child relationships, innocence vs worldliness, choices and consequences, compassion, desperation, abandonment and regret. More…
A Respectable Woman
Kate Chopin’s ‘respectable woman’ is happily married and looking forward to spending quality time with her husband. She is so disappointed when he invites an old school friend to visit that she decides to be polite but not friendly towards him. At first, the two barely communicate. However, there is a growing chemistry between them. This disturbs the woman, who finds an excuse to visit an Aunt for the remainder of his stay. When the woman learns the man will visit again, she tells her husband: I have overcome everything! Overcome what? Does she plan to remain a ‘respectable woman’? More…
The Verger
This story by W Somerset Maugham is about man named Albert who has worked hard as a church official for 16 years. When a new vicar learns Albert cannot read or write, he tells him that he must leave the job. Rather than go home immediately, Albert walks the streets trying to think of what he can do. During the walk, he decides to open a business. He soon proves that you don’t need a good education to be a success. All you need is the ability to think creatively, and the courage to back your ideas. More…
The Shadow in the Rose Garden
This story by D. H. Lawrence is about a couple in a loveless marriage. Upon learning that her ex-lover had died, the woman married “below her station”. She convinces her husband to holiday in the village where she met the lover. While visiting a rose garden, she finds him still alive. However, he has suffered brain damage and doesn’t remember her. During an argument, the woman tells her husband about the relationship. His responses range from disbelief to jealousy, anger, rage and finally, grudging acceptance. The big question: What drove the ex-lover to “chuck” the woman and go away? More…