Fear ‘‘Sorry, Right Number’’ is at heart a suspense story, and as such it relies on elevating the reader’s feelings of anxiety. The mysterious call Katie Weiderman receives at the beginning of the story is not just strange, it is terrifying. The sound of a woman crying would be disconcerting to anyone, and King makes…
Tag: Themes
The Son From America – Themes
Materialism From a modern perspective, Berl and Berlcha do not possess much. They have enough to eat, and they have a roof over their heads, but that is about all. They are poor. They have no luxuries. The only extras they make sure they have are the candles needed for the Sabbath, but they regard…
The Prisoner Who Wore Glasses – Themes
Apartheid ‘‘The Prisoner Who Wore Glasses’’ is set in South Africa during the years of apartheid, the statesponsored system of laws that officially divided all residents into four racial classifications and reserved power and wealth for the white minority. The ten black men in Span One are all political prisoners, arrested for being part of…
One Ordinary Day With Peanuts – Themes
Good and Evil ‘‘One Ordinary Day, with Peanuts’’ is primarily concerned with the presence of good and evil in everyday life, how they manifest themselves on a daily basis, and how arbitrary they can be. Mr. Johnson is the personification of good, wandering the streets of a big city with no other purpose than to…
No Witchcraft For Sale – Themes
Racism Because ‘‘No Witchcraft for Sale’’ is set in colonial Africa, racism is inherent in the basic social structure in which the story takes place. This is because the story accurately portrays a white upper class (which was historically British) ruling over a black (native) servant class. Although the Farquars are otherwise kind, loving, and…
Marriage is a Private Affair – Themes
Tradition The story centers around the clash between traditional values and a more modern way of conducting one’s affairs. It also suggests the differences between life in the city and life in the country. The theme revolves around three characters: Okeke, who represents the traditional ways; Nene, who embodies the modernity of life in the…
Love Must Not Be Forgotten – Themes
Marriage According to Shanshan, marriage as it exists in the People’s Republic of China in the 1970s is typically a simple business arrangement. Love rarely factors in, and marriage and procreation are necessary duties to be performed. Shanshan sums up the Chinese view of marriage by saying that it is focused on ‘‘law and morality.’’…
The Leap by Louise Erdrich – Themes
Mother-Child Relationships The entire story is a study of the mother-daughter relationship. The narrator credits her mother with her existence even beyond birth, and through recollection, makes clear the ties that bind them together. Although she never directly says it, the way the narrator gives voice to her memory reflects an admiration for her mother….
The Heavenly Christmas Tree – Themes
Poverty Throughout ‘‘The Heavenly Christmas Tree,’’ Dostoevsky portrays the poverty of the residents in his urban Russian setting. Not only does he delineate the effects of poverty on his characters but he also comments on society’s response to the poor. As the story opens, the narrator highlights the extreme conditions under which the boy and…
Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment – Themes
Aging The four people called to Dr. Heidegger’s study have known one another for more than fifty years. Each has been successful in some field of endeavor, but their successes were long ago. Now they are failures. Colonel Killigrew, whose title indicates that he rose in the ranks of the military, is a physical wreck….