The Sheriff’s Children

The Sheriff's Children: Short story by Charles W. ChesnuttIn this story by Charles W. Chesnutt, a highly respected sheriff with a strong sense of duty protects an alleged murderer from a vigilante mob. He later learns that the prisoner, a mixed race former slave, is his son by a slave woman he had once owned. Believing his son to be innocent, the sheriff faces a dilemma. Should he do his duty (keep him safe until his trial and almost certain hanging) or take responsibility for his welfare (let him ‘escape’)? Themes: race and racism, frontier justice, slavery, identity, regret, duty vs. responsibility.

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Mrs. Spring Fragrance

Mrs. Spring Fragrance: Short story by Sui Sin FarThis story by Sui Sin Far explores the “Americanization” of Chinese immigrant families in the early 1900s. A Chinese-American woman (Mrs. Spring Fragrance) helps her neighbor’s daughter escape an arranged marriage so that she can marry her true love. Thanks to a misunderstanding over a line of poetry, when she travels to another city to find a suitable match for the other man, her husband suspects she is having an affair with him. Through extensive use of irony, the story highlights themes of jealousy, culture clash, identity, gender roles, and community and political racism and discrimination.

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The Summer Solstice

The Summer Solstice: Short story by Nick JoaquinThis story by Filipino writer Nick Joaquin takes place over the final two days of a “hybrid” religious festival. Because both take place over the summer solstice, the Catholic feast of St John and pagan Tadtarin fertility rituals are celebrated together. Tadtarin is performed exclusively by women (or men dressed up as women), invoking their power to ensure a bountiful harvest. Events lead to an unsettling climax where a usually submissive wife pitilessly humiliates her rich landowner husband. Themes include gender stereotypes (especially male domination and cruelty towards women) and cultural changes brought about by Westernization.

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The Drowned Giant

The Drowned Giant: Short story by J. G. BallardIn this story by J. G. Ballard, the body of a giant man is dehumanized because of its otherworldly size. Left to rot on a beach, it first becomes a tourist attraction and later a source of exploitation as various body parts are taken for commercial purposes or as souvenirs. The narrator, who is clearly disturbed by the disrespectful way the body is treated, perceives it as having a transcendent, Homeric quality. This begs a fascinating question: What does it take to be considered human? Themes include humanity, identity, mortality, curiosity, fear (of a potentially superior race), fame, exploitation.

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Love in the Cornhusks

Love in the Cornhusks: Short story by Aida Rivera-FordOn the surface, this story from Aida Rivera-Ford is about young love leading to an illegitimate child, a “disappearing” boyfriend, an unhappy marriage of convenience, affirmation of the boyfriend’s love, and taking responsibility for one’s actions. On a deeper level, questions arise as to whether the couple’s lovemaking was consensual or forced (She resisted but his arms were strong.). We also see elements of ethnic and class discrimination in the descriptions of Tinang’s Bagobo husband and her sense of superiority over the “darker-skinned” girls and other workers in the fields. Themes: prejudice, love, choices and consequences, regret, facing reality/moving on.

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Daisy Miller: A Study in Two Parts

Daisy Miller: A Study in Two Parts: Short story by Henry JamesHenry James’s “Daisy” Miller is a young American socialite traveling through Southern Europe with her mother and younger brother. Flirtatious, independent and free-spirited, she enjoys the competing attentions of several men who she subtly manipulates to do her bidding. Her behaviour, especially going about with men unchaperoned, is scandalous by American expat community standards, resulting in gossip and her ostracization. A question in the mind of a man smitten by Daisy is whether she could possibly be as innocent as she appears. Themes include social conventions (Europe vs. America), gossip, reputation (innocence vs. immorality), double standards (male vs. female independence).

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Showdown

Showdown: Short story by Shirley JacksonA major theme of this Shirley Jackson story is community responsibility in preventing violence. Before the “showdown”, young Billy’s Saturdays were quiet and uneventful. When Tom Harper’s death breaks the pattern, a mystical power puts Billy (and possibly other townspeople) into a time loop. After many repeated Saturdays, Billy realizes that to break the cycle he must do something to prevent Tom’s death. Could the “haunting” be a result of Tom’s girlfriend Susy’s promises: I won’t ever forget you, and neither will anyone else! I’ll see that they don’t get off easy! Other themes: violence, love, hope, revenge, the supernatural.

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How Suan Became Rich

How Suan Became Rich: Tagalog folktale from Dean FanslerIn this Tagalog folktale from the Philippines, a rich man (Pedro) gives a friend (Suan) a post so that he can build himself a house. Pedro becomes unhappy when Suan’s new house is bigger than his. He asks Suan to return the post, which he can’t do or the house will fall down. Pedro takes Suan before the king to get the post back. On the way, Suan experiences further problems. He accidentally kills someone and breaks off a carabao (buffalo) tail. However, thanks to the wise king, Suan keeps the post and becomes the richest man in his village.

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With All Flags Flying

With All Flags Flying: Short story by Anne TylerAn unusual aspect of this Anne Tyler story about an eighty-two-year-old man going into an “old folks’ home” is that he is doing it out of choice and on his own terms. The old man has renounced the material world. For him, the most important possessions in life are his independence and dignity. Although he has a loving family who would gladly house and care for him, he is ashamed of his growing weakness and steadfastly (and somewhat selfishly) refuses to be loved at any cost. Themes: aging, independence, frugality/minimalism, family, pride, stubbornness.

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Lullaby

Lullaby: Short story by Leslie Marmon SilkoAlthough this story by Leslie Marmon Silko takes place over a single evening, some of the events described span three generations. An aging Native American woman searching for her alcoholic husband reminisces about her life. Although her childhood memories are pleasant, her adult memories are full of loss and tragedy. Her husband has been exploited by a “white rancher” and, having lost at least three children to natural causes and one to war, her last two were removed by “white doctors”. Themes: memories, tradition and change, language barriers, racism, oppression and exploitation, motherhood, death and loss.

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