In this horror story by Elizabeth Bowen, a woman returns to her large, war-damaged city house to collect personal items. The house had been locked up, nobody knew she was coming, yet there is a letter addressed to her sitting on a table. It had been hand delivered earlier that day and is an anniversary greeting ending with the words: You may expect me at the hour arranged. Someone (possibly the spirit of a former soldier-lover) may be in the house or coming for her. Themes include the trauma of war, gender stereotypes, doubt, imagination and fear, betrayal and revenge. More…
The Enormous Radio
Like many John Cheever stories, the major themes of The Enormous Radio are appearances vs. reality and the myth of urban bliss. Other themes include eavesdropping, obsession, secrecy, smugness, self-delusion and hypocrisy. A seemingly contented couple’s life changes when a malfunctioning radio begins to pick up conversations from people in surrounding apartments. The woman becomes obsessed with listening in and, after learning her neighbors’ secrets about affairs, marital and financial problems, etc., begins to look down on them. This feeling of superiority is soon dashed when her husband points out some unsavory aspects of her own past. More…
Unto Dust
The major themes of this story by Herman Bosman are attitudes towards the dead, and equality in death. A Boer farmer and native enemy die side by side while fighting in a ‘Transvaal Kafir War’. When the farmer’s friends return to take his body home for a proper burial, they find that wild animals have mixed up the bones. The friends spend a lot of time trying to sort out which is which so that the dead farmer does not have to lie forever among the warrior’s bones. A yellow ‘kafir’ dog judges the result. Other themes: war, mateship, racism. More…
Fever
A cursory first reading of this story often leaves students confused. John Wideman’s innovative style involves multiple voices, some of which are not even identified, and randomly traveling both backwards and forwards in time. The grim narrative is prefaced as a tribute to the people (mostly free African-Americans) who heroically nursed the sick and buried the dead during the Philadelphia yellow fever epidemic of 1793. The fever serves as a metaphor for the effects of the story’s main themes (prejudice and racism), which can potentially destroy both victims and perpetrators. Other themes: slavery, fear, suffering, death, despair. More…
I Could See the Smallest Things
The title of this story by Raymond Carver is somewhat ironic. When protagonist Nancy looks out her bedroom window, she can see the smallest of things. What she can’t see or won’t acknowledge are the big things in her life that need attention. Concern about her open gate and multiple references to fences symbolize three important themes: insecurity, alienation, and fear of the outside world and/or change. Neighbor Sam’s garden pests represent another: inertia (sluggishness). Sam has moved on from his problems in life; Nancy and husband Cliff have not. Other themes: alcohol abuse, regret, emptiness and lack of fulfilment. More…