In a large town there was an old woman who sat in the evening alone in her room thinking how she had lost first her husband, then both her children, then one by one all her relations, and at length, that very day, her last friend, and now she was quite alone and desolate. She was very sad at heart, and heaviest of all her […]

Abduction is a short story by Shelagh Delaney, it is a story about misunderstanding the concept of love. However it is also a story about, misunderstanding or not looking for the needs of the ones we love. Abduction is the title, and it refers to the way, that Ann abducts her sixteen year old younger brother from their parents, and brings him to london. Ann […]

There are moments in our lives when we radically change. Something happens to us that transforms us into a new person. It may come as we read an engaging text, as we undergo an enlightening experience, or as we witness an interesting event. The catalyst for this radical change may vary, but its impact will always be the same: we can never go back to […]

In James Baldwin’s, Sonny’s Blues, he uses many different symbols throughout his short story to present the overall theme of suffering to the reader. He uses symbols such as music, characters facial expressions and the presence of ice, light and darkness. In the very beginning of the story when the narrator is reading the paper and he comes across the news of his brother, Sonny, […]

Screaming in pain, Rebecca was about to give birth to her first baby. She was forced to have a homebirth as there were no hospitals around for miles. Her shrieks of pain had woken everyone in the neighbourhood, many came up to the house to get a glimpse of the situation. One of Rebecca’s friends, Rick, had rushed into the house in a matter of […]

Short Story Analysis In this essay, your purpose is to fully explain an element (theme, characterization or symbolism) in a short story of your choice. I will provide you with examples of each element from stories by Hemingway, Updike and Vonnegut ; you may write about any of these authors except the ones that we have discussed in class. However, you may choose to investigate […]

How does the author position the reader towards the major theme using the narrative elements? Gangs affect everyone lives especially the people in the gang because other members make you do things that you don’t want to do or that is dangerous towards you or yourself. ‘The Last Spin’ by Evan Hunter is a short story about two boys from opposite gangs that were forced […]

The main character in Toni Cade Bambara’s short story called “The Lesson” ironically is not even named until midway through the story. Sylvia is a tough girl from the ghetto who uses her experience at the museum and the toy store to become more self aware. In “The Lesson,” Sylvia learns a lot about herself, but nothing that she will share; instead she will use […]