The main theme of Angela Carter’s Snow Child is feminist gender stereotyping. There are no heroes here. A powerful, dominating and lustful Count humiliates his wife by wishing for a young girl and clothing her in the vain Countess’s furs. His masculinity and dignity are then stripped away as he weeps while defiling the child’s dead body. The usually submissive Countess experiences a moment of power as the Count guiltily hands her the rose that killed the child. This passes when a thorn prick fails to kill her, proving that she lacks the sweet innocence of the snow child. More…
Like the Sun
This story by R. K. Narayan begins with some strange logic. After observing that relationships involve tempering truth so as not to hurt one another, the protagonist adds that life is not worth living without telling nothing but the truth (i.e. potentially hurting people) at least one day each year. On one of these days, his honesty upsets three people. The first two are needlessly hurt; the third, although unhappy, benefits from his frankness. The story shows that truth is indeed like the sun: most of the time warm and nourishing, but also capable of causing serious damage. More…
Saint Manuel Bueno, Martyr
This Miguel de Unamuno story (aka Saint Emmanuel the Good, Martyr) is a memoir by a Spanish woman reflecting on her close connection with a Catholic priest about to be beatified. The outwardly pious man, who was credited with several miracles and spent his life ministering to the people of her remote mountain village, harbored an astonishing secret. His life had been a charade for the supposed good of the villagers… he did not believe in God! Themes include existentialism, self-sacrifice, community, the nature and role of religion, New vs. Old World values, identity, truth vs. ignorance and bliss. More…
The Last Unicorns
This flash story by Edward Hoch begins with the startling news that thousands of years ago unicorns once roamed Africa. A clever trader manages to buy a pair and transport them to the Middle East. As unicorns are much stronger than horses, he plans to make his fortune by breeding them and selling the young. Before he can do this, a stranger arrives and offers to buy his unicorns. When he says “No”, the stranger tries to steal them. The angry trader drives the stranger away, little knowing that his unicorns will soon become the last two in the world. More…
The Mark of Vishnu
This story from Khushwant Singh contrasts the superstitious beliefs of a poorly educated Hindu servant (Gunga Ram) with the science taught at school to four bratty children. As the title implies, the story revolves around Gunga Ram’s devotion to the god Vishnu and what to him is a sacred snake (Kala Nag). Singh was a self-proclaimed agnostic. The story, and in particular its ironic conclusion, is a satire of organized religion and animist beliefs. Themes: faith, illiteracy, superstition vs. logic, class, (lack of) respect, change. The story’s message: blind faith can lead to disaster. More…