This Tobias Wolff story features a protagonist who is so unlikable that it seems a relief when a bank robber silences him. Sarcastic to the point of being obnoxious, Anders provides some humorous moments (Love the comment about The Killers!) before getting the richly deserved Bullet in the Brain. Unlike Bierce’s Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, where the protagonist enjoys an uplifting moment-of-death experience, Anders re-lives a childhood baseball game. The highlights of his life were the simple pleasures of youth (such as enjoying the musical quality of a strange accent), before losing his innocence to conceit, disillusionment and cynicism. More…
For Esmé with Love and Squalor
J. D. Salinger’s Esmé is a precocious, orphaned teenage girl whose friendship and compassion help a young American soldier deal with the horrors of war. Salinger’s characterization of the soldier (Staff Sergeant X) in the second part of the story suggests first-hand experience with PTSD. This was misunderstood at the time, as reflected in the comment from Clay’s girlfriend: nobody gets a nervous breakdown just from the war and all. She says you probably were unstable like, your whole goddam life. Major themes: youthful innocence, the brutality of war and its effect on mental health, loss, humanity and hope. More…
Resurrection of a Life
In this story by William Saroyan, a man reflects on his life as a ten-year-old paperboy in 1917. As many of his memories appear infused with wisdom that usually comes with age, it is difficult to distinguish between his true boyhood thoughts and adult-inspired interpretations. One area where the difference is clear is religion. As a boy, he found it difficult to accept God due to the carnage of World War 1 and other injustices in his world. As an adult, he believes there is no death, and can never be. Themes: poverty, morality, facing and accepting reality, belonging, religion. More…
Evening Primrose
It is always nice to find a story with a quirky, innovative storyline. John Collier’s Evening Primrose is in the form of a journal describing the experiences of a failed poet who gives up the outside world to spend the rest of his life living in a department store. He plans to hide out by day and wander the store at night collecting food and other necessities. To his surprise, he finds that a small community of like-minded people already inhabit the store. The only things they fear are discovery by the night watchman and the gruesome “Dark Men.” More…
Two Friends
Set during the four month the siege of Paris of 1870-1871, this story by Guy de Maupassant stereotypes (from a French perspective) the patriotism and valour of two Frenchmen and the barbaric brutality of the Prussian (German) soldiers surrounding the city. After a few drinks, two friends on opposite sides of the political spectrum (one a monarchist, the other a republican) set off to escape the deprivation and boredom of the besieged city by going fishing in the “no-man’s land” between the two armies. Themes: friendship, loyalty, patriotism, courage, the brutality of war. More…