... pervade many of the novel's stories. The two stories following "The Book of the Grotesque," "Hands" and "Paper Pills," exemplify the themes of isolation and failure to communicate. The story of Wing Biddlebaum, an old Pennsylvanian schoolteacher, unfolds. Gaining his name from his hands that shake "like the beating of the wings of an imprisoned bird," Biddlebaum left Pennsylvania to avoid a lynching ... to her from his scraps of paper. Unfortunately, after almost a year, Dr. Reefy's wife passed away, forcing him to return to his old method of communication, his paper pills. Before his mar...

• Word Count: 1325
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... from Camp Green Lake', risking almost certain death and being "buzzard food", in his attempt to find his deserted friend. The greed illustrated in the story is also a theme, alerting the reader to the unsavoury characters of the Warden and Mr Sir. The determination and slave labour which the Warden enforces, in her eagerness to find the treasure', typifies greed and it's consumption of her character. Adventure and freedom are also important ... way advocates this, writing it intentionally for children but still composing it with universal consideration. The decision of whether it should...

• Word Count: 1943
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... from Camp Green Lake', risking almost certain death and being "buzzard food", in his attempt to find his deserted friend. The greed illustrated in the story is also a theme, alerting the reader to the unsavoury characters of the Warden and Mr Sir. The determination and slave labour which the Warden enforces, in her eagerness to find the treasure', typifies greed and it's consumption of her character. Adventure and freedom are also important ... way advocates this, writing it intentionally for children but still composing it with universal consideration. The decision of whether it should...

• Word Count: 1946
• Approx Pages: 8
• Grade Level: Undergraduate