The major theme of this story by ZZ Packer is how racial segregation breeds racial prejudice. At a summer camp, a Brownie troop from a black neighborhood decide to kick the asses of an all-white troop they see exiting a bus. A misunderstanding leads to a confrontation in the shower block, from which the black girls leave in shame. The story ends with the black narrator describing an interaction between her father and a white Mennonite family, and concluding that racism is something mean she cannot stop. Other themes include social class, resentment, anger, revenge, peer pressure.
Animal Farm
Given events taking place in modern-day Russia, it is timely to revisit this classic political satire from George Orwell. Included in Time Magazine’s list of the 100 best English language novels, the story is an allegory of the 1917 Russian Revolution and rise of Stalinism. Major themes (and the reasons for its relevance today) are the lust for and corrupting effect of power, and how an unenlightened populace can be manipulated into continued acceptance of a failed/corrupt political system. Other themes: idealism, political transition (autocracy→ socialism→ communism→ autocracy), class, animal cruelty (= exploitation of the working class). More…
The Hit Man
T. C. Boyle’s The Hit Man is a clever satire of the short story genre. Written in short paragraphs under sub-headings, the story contains all the necessary elements of a short story. What makes it unusual is that Boyle is able to provide a meaningful account of his protagonist’s entire life (boyhood, adolescence, courtship, death of parents, ‘career’, marriage, family, retirement, death… and even dislike of peas!) in less than 1,200 words. He also manages to deal with some serious issues (bullying, schoolyard violence, judicial system failure, gratuitous murder, glamorized crime and death) along the way. More…
Thongproi the Rich Girl
Have you ever wished you were so rich that you could have anything you want? There are two types of people in this group: those who work hard to capitalize on their good fortune, and those who live a life of indolent luxury. This story by Kukrit Pramoj is about a girl from Thailand who fits into the second category. Thongproi was spoiled from the day she was born, one of the most beautiful women in the district, and had a devoted husband in a senior government position. One would expect her to be very happy. But was she? More…
The Busker
Both adults and children have been known to cry at the end of the story within a story in this tale from Paul Jennings. Its major theme is that giving money to people (or in the narrator’s case, spending it on them) doesn’t make them like you. Other themes: folly (the narrator, desperate for $10, searching the beach for a shipwreck), companionship and teamwork (between the Busker and his dog, Tiny), jealousy (when the Busker realizes Tiny is the star of their act), animal cruelty (Tiny in the well), and unconditional animal love (the Busker in the well). More…