The dystopian civilization envisioned in this Charles Beaumont story has eliminated many of today’s “distractions” such as food preparation, books and even the need for sleep. It has also specified uniform male and female appearances to be adopted by undergoing a “Transformation” (operation) upon turning nineteen. A brave girl resists the change, not only putting her job and family’s social position at risk, but also threatening social stability. As she is frog-marched to the operating theater, she realizes the sinister purpose of Transformation… to remove the population’s sense of individual identity. Themes: identity, body shaming, scientific “advancement”, superficial beauty, conformity. More…
Town and Country Lovers
Although the South African law banning sexual intercourse between “whites” and “non-whites” was repealed in 1985 (five years after Nadine Gordimer wrote this story), inter-racial and inter-religious relationships are still frowned upon in some cultures. Moreover, as in the story, the consequences for women are often much more severe than for men. Despite the obvious affection between the two couples in the story, questions arise as to whether for the men the sex was a function of convenience rather than love, and the extent to which the women initially felt pressured into participating. Themes: forbidden love, sexual coercion, unequal consequences. More…
The Skater
In this story by Joy Williams, parents (Tom and Annie) take their teenage daughter Molly on an awkward trip from California to New England to look at boarding schools. Sending Molly to school across the country is ostensibly so that the distance will help her deal with the recent death of her older sister Martha. Molly thinks her parents have an ulterior motive… to help them cope more easily with their own grief. Although Molly rejects all the schools, the trip helps all three on their road to recovery. Themes include family, death, grief, acceptance. More…
A Respectable Woman
Kate Chopin’s ‘respectable woman’ is happily married and looking forward to spending quality time with her husband. She is so disappointed when he invites an old school friend to visit that she decides to be polite but not friendly towards him. At first, the two barely communicate. However, there is a growing chemistry between them. This disturbs the woman, who finds an excuse to visit an Aunt for the remainder of his stay. When the woman learns the man will visit again, she tells her husband: I have overcome everything! Overcome what? Does she plan to remain a ‘respectable woman’? More…
How Sweet It Is to Die in the Sea
In this entertaining story by José Eduardo Agualusa, a successful novelist’s marriage falls apart when he takes to drink after his latest book is panned by a literary critic. He makes ends meet by becoming a critic himself, and takes delight in panning a novel by the critic who panned his. He starts a new life and, when a “friend” kills the critic, his second wife, and her two lovers, secures a rich inheritance and is provided with a good plot for a new book. Themes include writing and literary criticism, alcohol abuse, despair, betrayal, renewal. More…