On the Way to Solomon’s Pools

On the Way to Solomon’s Pools: Short story by Samira AzzamThemes of this story by Samira Azzam include bravery, defeat and hatred. Set during Palestine’s defense of its territories shortly after the formation of Israel, a schoolteacher/National Guardsman lays covering fire as other villagers escape. His wife courageously remains with him, urging him to stay strong. When his ammunition runs out, they flee. He carries their young son, his wife a few belongings. As they run towards safety, the boy is fatally shot. He runs ahead of his wife, steps off the road, buries the child in private, and loses his soul to hatred… not even offering a prayer.

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The 13-Carat Diamond

The 13-Carat Diamond: Short story by Khin Myo ChitKhin Mya (aka Khin Myo Chit) is one of a small number of recognized Burmese (now Myanmars) authors who wrote in English as well as their native tongue. The story takes place during World War II at the time the Japanese occupied Burma. It tells of the humorous experiences of a young couple who are finding it hard to make ends meet. The woman fails at running a market stall, and comes up with a plan to become rich overnight. All she has to do is find someone with a 13-carat diamond they are willing sell.

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Old Man at the Bridge

Old Man at the Bridge: Short story by Ernest HemingwayAlthough a war story, the major theme of this vignette by Ernest Hemingway is not the physical horrors of armed conflict, but rather the psychological impact on the lives of those caught up in its wake. An old man has dedicated his life to caring for several pets. Forced to set them free and flee, he now fears for their safety and sits alone on a bridge, having lost the drive to go on. The narrator, a soldier focused on this duty, reluctantly leaves him to his fate. Other themes include alienation, anxiety, guilt and despair, resignation, duty vs. compassion.

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The Dog of Tithwal

The Dog of Tithwal: Short story by Saadat Hasan MantoThis story from Saadat Hasan Manto takes place during the first Indo-Pakistan (Kashmir) War, which commenced just two months after the 1947 formation of the two countries. The war was a form of “Mexican standoff”. This is reflected in the plot, where soldiers break their boredom with occasional shots towards the enemy camp that have no chance of hitting anyone. The treatment and killing of Jhun Jhun for “refusing” to take sides is symbolic of the suffering of civilians caught up in the conflict. Themes: natural peace and harmony vs. mankind’s propensity for violence, futility, innocence, distrust, cruelty, human suffering.

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The Things They Carried

The Things They Carried: Short story by Tim O'BrienThe strength of this Vietnam War memoir by Tim O’Brien is the matter-of-fact way the life of the soldiers (“grunts”) is portrayed. Although the military and survival equipment carried by the men is listed, the major theme of the story is the emotional burdens they carried – both those the men brought to the war, and those they took on during its course. First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross learns an important lesson: in order to do your duty and survive the war, you need to find a way to let go of these. Other themes: war, love, individual and collective responsibility.

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Victoria and Her Kimono

Victoria and Her Kimono: Short story by M. ShanmughalingamThis story by M. Shanmughalingam is in two parts. The first is a humorous description of pre-World War 2 goings-on at one of Kuala Lumpur’s most prestigious secondary schools. Told from the point of view of an “old school” disciplinarian English teacher, it has a Monty Python-like ring to it. The second deals with the brutality and privation associated with Japanese occupation and how, thanks to a home-made kimono and a few words of Japanese, the Tigress of Asia (the teacher’s wife) saves his life. Themes include colonialism, the power of language, suffering, courage, resilience.

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The Sniper

The Sniper: Short story by Liam O'FlahertySome argue that civil wars are the worst form of warfare because they can set friend against friend and family against family. This story by Liam O’Flaherty takes place during the Irish Civil War of 1922/23. After an IRA sniper with the cold gleam of the fanatic in his eyes kills an enemy sniper, he goes to see if he knew the man. It is tempting to feel sorry as he turns over the body. That is until you remember the unarmed woman he had just shot in cold blood. Themes include war, divisiveness, duty, survival, isolation, brutality, guilt.

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The Pugilist at Rest

The Pugilist at Rest: Novelette by Thom JonesThis story by Thom Jones is unusual in that the protagonist, a reflective American Marine, freely admits committing unspeakable war crimes (and getting medals for them) after the rest of his reconnaissance patrol was slaughtered in Vietnam. Post-war PTSD leads to excessive drinking and a vicious boxing match in which he suffers serious brain damage. He must now choose between a life of seizures in a drug-induced haze, or risky surgery that could turn him into a vegetable. Themes include friendship, masculinity, the brutality of war, morality, violence and suffering, choices and consequences, philosophy and art.

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