Featured Stories

Why Had I Left Home?

Why Had I Left Home?: Short story by Carlos BulosanThis extract from Carlos Bulosan’s semi-autobiographical novel America Is in the Heart relates how, as a young man, he immigrated to America to start a new life. Upon arrival, he falls victim of a Filipino scammer and earns just $13 for three months’ work in an Alaskan canning factory. Later, he witnesses violence and death in a “Filipino” dance hall, and experiences camaraderie, friendship, and a racist gang attack on an apple farm. He must have asked himself several times: “Why Had I Left Home?” Themes include expectations vs. reality, exploitation, friendship, violence, racism, resilience, perseverance.

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Cleansing Monday

Cleansing Monday: Short story by Ivan BuninIn this story by Ivan Bunin, a young Russian man suffers through a long, frustrating relationship with an enigmatic woman he is deeply in love with. She claims to have no interest in marrying and rejects all attempts at sexual contact. He endures, hoping she will change her mind. Although she is very religious, they smoke, drink and go to seedy taverns together. To his surprise, one Clean Monday (or rather the morning after) she gives herself to him. That evening, she leaves his life forever. Themes include love, frustration, loss, religious devotion, nostalgia (life in pre-revolutionary Moscow).

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Happy-Endings

Happy Endings: Short story by Margaret AtwoodThe six “mini-stories” in this short meta-fictional narrative from Margaret Atwood satirize a common element of the story form. In the process, they touch on a myriad of themes including marriage and romance, family life, self-gratification, desperation, suicide, murder, virtue and compassion. The message seems to be that the ultimate denouement of a story matters little; the key is in its exposition and “How and Why” of events in between. The story also provides a lesson in life: What people will remember most about us after our book is closed is the how and why of the way we lived.

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Everything That Rises Must Converge

Everything That Rises Must Converge: Short story by Flannery O'ConnorFlannery O’connor is known for emphasizing her themes through flawed, often thoroughly dislikeable characters. In this story, she has paired a bigoted mother living in the past with a callous, disrespectful son. The son, a college graduate, considers himself intellectually and morally superior to his mother and delights in antagonizing the poor woman. The unfortunate climax comes at the end of a city bus trip when the mother insults her African American “doppelganger” by offering the woman’s young child a penny. Themes include (through Mrs. Chestny) sacrifice, heritage & appearance vs. character, racism; (through Julian) lack of respect, cruelty, self-deception.

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Papa, What Does that Spell?

Papa, What Does that Spell?: Short story by Vasily AksyonovIn this story by Vasily Aksyonov (Aksenov), a Russian factory worker reviews his life and relationships as he spends a day with his six-year-old daughter while his wife is at a “meeting”. He is growing apart from a once close-knit group of childhood friends, and faces a growing gap with his wife who is completing a doctoral degree and may be having an affair. In an epiphany, he realizes that being there for his daughter as she grows up is the most important thing in the world. Themes include childhood innocence, fatherhood, social relationships, marriage disconnect, deceit.

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The District Doctor

The District Doctor: Short story by Ivan TurgenevThe major themes of this story by Ivan Turgenev are duty, lying, love, death and betrayal. A doctor becomes infatuated with a beautiful 20-year-old patient. As the woman’s condition worsens, he lies to her family about her chances of recovery. On sensing her coming death, the woman tells the doctor she loves him. He replies that he also loves her, accepts her ring, and promises to ask for her mother’s blessing. When the woman confesses their love to her mother, the doctor denies everything and blames her fever. Broken-hearted, she for asks his forgiveness and re-affirms her love before dying.

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Mrs. Frola and Mr. Ponza, Her Son-in-Law

Mrs. Frola and Mr. Ponza, Her Son-in-Law: Short story by Luigi PirandelloIn this story by Luigi Pirandello, a respected civil servant rents an apartment for himself and his wife, and another for his mother-in-law. Gossip rages when he doesn’t allow his wife to leave their apartment, or her mother to visit. He explains to a “ladies’ group” that his first wife (the mother-in-law’s daughter) is dead, and he is supporting her mother, who is crazy. The “mother-in-law” later argues that her son-in-law is the crazy one. Readers are left to decide which of the equally plausible stories is true. Themes include gossip vs. the right to privacy, judging by appearances, relativism.

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That Evening Sun (Go Down)

That Evening Sun (Go Down): Short story by William FaulknerIn this story by William Faulkner, a man recalls his parents’ callous indifference to the fate of an African-American woman who had washed the family’s clothes for many years. The woman makes extra money by allowing white men to “visit” her at home, and thinks her violent husband is planning to kill her for carrying a white man’s child. One night, she panics and tricks the family’s three children into staying with her. When their father takes them home, we are left wondering if she will survive the night. Themes: coming of age, racism, sexual exploitation, violence, fear, inhumanity.

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