The major messages of this playful story by Robert Olen Butler are the importance of communication in a relationship, and that jealousy can develop into a dangerous obsession. A jealous husband who did not articulate his love or concerns enough is resurrected as a parrot and purchased as a pet by his recently widowed wife. When taken “home” in a cage, he finds she is enjoying her newfound freedom with a string of other partners. Ironically, now realizes how much he loves her, but doesn’t have the vocabulary to tell her. Themes include love, communication, infidelity, jealousy, obsession. More…
What the Old Man Does is Always Right
This story by Hans Christian Andersen is about an old man and his loving wife who never sees a problem with anything he does. The only thing they own of any value is a horse, which they decide to sell or trade for something more useful. The man sets off for town and, after several trades along the way, comes home with a bag of rotten apples. As always, his wife was delighted with the result. Andersen called this story one of his best ever tales… but was it really his work? More…
Great Day
David Malouf’s Great Day takes place over the seventy-second birthday celebration for the patriarch of a large, close-knit Australian family. The story explores some of the differences and tensions between family members, as well as the state of mind of the patriarch. A powerful retired senior public servant with a commanding personality, he is consumed by thoughts of death. Two linked events, the destruction of a family museum and the subsequent moving words of a usually shy, tongue-tied family member bring a sense of peace to the old man and unification to the family. Themes: power, loss, dreams, connection, unification. More…
The Golden Kite, the Silver Wind
This Ray Bradbury story is thought to be an allegory of the nuclear arms race that took place during the “Cold War” between the United States and Russia. The “Mandarins” who began the Cold War were Harry S. Truman and Joseph Stalin. One wonders if the first Mandarin’s daughter alludes to Truman’s wife Bess, who he claims to have consulted before every important decision. Moreover, Bess is known to have made changes to his famous speech outlining the Truman Doctrine, which started it all. Themes include rivalry, paranoia, wisdom, the futility of confrontation and escalation vs. the benefits of cooperation. More…
The Mispaired Anklet
This story by R. K. Narayan, is based on the Tamil legend of Kannagi, a devoted wife who stands by her husband despite his love affair with a dancer. When he finally repents after squandering their fortune on entertainment and gifts for the other woman, they move to another city. They live happily there until Kannagi’s husband is framed for theft and summarily executed while trying to sell one of her gold anklets. Kannagi’s wrath is so great that she calls on the gods and has the city destroyed. Later, she learns that her fate was the result of karma. More…