... of literature. Formally known as Guy de (Henri René Albert) Maupassant, he was a French novelist and short-story writer. He is deemed one of the modern masters of the art of the short story and has influenced practitioners of that genre from his time to the present. (Guy de Maupassant Encarta Encyclopedia 2001 ... the behavior of the bourgeoisie, and the fashionable life of Paris. (http://www.online-literature.com/maupassant/ Literature Network) As is evident with the short story of Mother Savage, the author was greatly influenced by the war. Having served in the French Army, many of hi...

• Word Count: 2584
• Approx Pages: 10
• Grade Level: High School

... frequently experience personal turmoil that the readers can relate to in their own lives. In his short story "Son" Updike is able to disgust parenthood and childhood in a creative and relatable way. The story disgusts the father son relationship throughout different time periods. Beginning in the turn of the century ... is already established by the sentence structure. Throughout his work, Updike is able to capture the lives of American's through different time periods. In one short story he is able briefly capture American life throughout a time period of over a seventy years. In the fi...

• Word Count: 977
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... has published multiple books including "The Color Purple," which was made into a movie that won the academy award for 1985. Her main hobby is gardening (Roberts and Jacobs 85). The short story "Everyday Use" was first published in 1973. "Everyday Use" begins with women waiting: Mama Johnson and her daughter Maggie, waiting at home, in the deep rural South, a place ... new name "Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo". In addition to the author's various aspects of the story, Walker uses themes and characterization to enhance her short story "Everyday Use". The author uses themes in her short story "...

• Word Count: 763
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... I have studied "And no Birds Sing" by H.E Bates helped develop my understanding of these conflicts through the conflicts described in the story; materialistic parents, freedom and the need to be loved. This short story dealt with the issue of materialistic parents who think that money is everything and that money can buy happiness and love. This is challenged through the daughter, who is ... unhappy at home, when she meets Mr. Thompson who has no need for material possessions except for the few that he owns. As the girl says in the story "the ... these possessions and money. Her parent...

• Word Count: 699
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

Stockings, written by Tim O"Brien, was a terrific short story. I genuinely loved this story because I can relate to it. I am very superstitious so I to have a good luck charm. The only difference between Henry Dobbins and I is that my good luck charm ... that his "good luck charm" would no longer give him good luck and they feared that they would no longer be safe. The best thing of this story was when Henry told everyone that his girlfriend may not love him anymore, but that did not matter because he still loved her and therefore her stockings were ... in fact good luck. Another touching st...

• Word Count: 592
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

The two short stories "And No Birds Sing" by H.E. Bates and "Red Back Spiders," by Peter Cowan are quite different in their own ways but also share a few similarities in themes, characters and ... being able to provide for the family. The main characters are alike and also the setting resembles a bit but there are quite a lot of things that are different in each story. The themes in both stories differ from one another, while ANBS deals with the materialistic and consumeristic society due to technology, RBS focusses on the isolation and its ways of ... he shouldn't. In a way the father is h...

• Word Count: 626
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... his wife hoping he could somehow bring her back. Readers also see in "Blankets," by Sherman Alexie, that this short story about Native Americans also brings a sense of endearment, but towards parents instead of lovers. The son in this story respects his father. an alcoholic, enough to let a complete stranger sing a healing song to the blanket that was to be given ... in these stories show feelings towards the ones they love, they even go to the extent of doing things that are not allowed to help their loved ones. Throughout each story, the main characters make mistakes but those mistake...

• Word Count: 620
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

Gail Godwin's short story "A Sorrowful Woman" is centered around a wife and mother who becomes overwhelmed with her husband and child, and withdraws from them. Gradually, she completely shuts them out of her life. ... found freedom. As she opened the door, it was easy for her to clasp her hand around her sister's waist and walk down the stairs. Mrs. Mallard's euphoria was short lived as she came to the bottom of the stairs, saw Richard waiting for them and heard the door opening. Bently Mallard entered, he was alive, Mrs. Mallard did not ... want to go back to live as she was after feeling ...

• Word Count: 969
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

The protagonist character Louise Mallard in Kate Chopin's "The Story of An Hour" portrays a wife's unexpected response to her husband's death. The narrator divulges to the reader modest but convincing hints of Mrs. Mallards newly discovered freedom. This newly discovered freedom would be short lived for Mrs. Mallard. Mrs. Mallard, who suffers ... under the will of another person. The depth of Louise's bondage known as marriage was more than she could stand and she was wishing for a short-lived life just the day before the accident. With her husbands death she was wishing for a long life to en...

• Word Count: 406
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

In the short story "Lilies" by Joan London, the reader is introduced to the character of Christine Hollins who is returning back home to her family after seven years. Her relationship with her family ... are now living in a retirement home with " . Tiny living room, bright sunlight from the economy sized windows and the scrappy rugs and faded chains." When Helen is introduced into the story we are given the impression of the unsupportive and uncaring character that she possesses. Her first address to her sister, Christine, was not the usual welcoming statement such as "How ... ...

• Word Count: 586
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

The dawn turned night into day, cold air breeze splattered right through my window. I can hear the birds chattering and my clock ticking. It's 5 o'clock when I woke up in the morning, September 27, 2057. "Today is another special day," I muttered, so I get off of my bed and put on my glasses. I was supposed to hear noise from every corner of my house, but there's no noise at all, it's a total silence instead. I am expecting something for today but I am all alone, nobody's home except for the housemaids. With a bit of disappointment drawn in my face, I took a blanket, get into my comfy chair an...

• Word Count: 1291
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... St. Louis where she was encouraged to begin writing professionally. In the following ten years she published two novels and two collections of short stories. Her honest and blunt views on sexuality and slavery, and her espousal of Darwinism created much controversy and eventually saw her works ... removed from libraries and the public eye. Chopin died in 1904 and remained unknown until the 1960's. "The Story of an Hour- is an early work of Kate Chopin, telling of a woman trapped and possibly abused in a repressive marriage. The clues ... alluding to this repressive marriage are nicely a...

• Word Count: 638
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... her writing? I was anxious to discover my findings. So take a journey with me to reveal Kate Chopin: The life and death of a famous author; a story in its own. Kate Chopin was born Katherine O"Flaherty on February 8, 1850 of an Irish and French descent in St. Louis, Missouri. Kate grew up surrounded by ... Eliza was only 27 years old when she heard of her 50-year old husbands" death. I believe this tragic incident influenced her writing in the "The Story of an Hour". Louise Mallard, who was portrayed as being young in age, thought she had lost her husband, Brently Mallard, in a railroad ...

• Word Count: 1124
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

The story the "Scarlet Ibis" is told from the first person point of view. The writer James Hurst tells the story through a narrator who is also Doodles brother. The narrator tells the story a few years after it has happened and what he remembers about the summer when his brother died. Hurst uses a narrator that was present during the event to tell the story so the events can be seen first hand like the reader was actually there. A very broad theme for the "Balek Scales" is man is often cruel to his fellow man. Another theme that is incorporated into this story is appearances can be deceptive. ...

• Word Count: 528
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

Introduction "Reunion" is a short story written by John Cheever. The story takes places in the 1960's. It is about the meeting between a son named Charlie and his father. They haven't seen each other for three years. The boy travels alone and ... , the boy leaves his father with a sad goodbye, and he has decided never to meet his father again. Theme Reunions are not always happy. Sometimes parents disappoint their children. The story reunion tells about a young son who gets disappointed over his father. He has a positive perception of meeting his father again for three years and he looks forw...

• Word Count: 857
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

Independent Happiness To understand the meaning behind Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour" one would need to understand her past. She was born February 8, 1851 to Thomas and Eliza O'Flatery in St. Louis, Missouri (Haywood 1). After her father's untimely death ... she sold her plantation and moved her family back to St. Louis (2). At the age of thirty-nine Chopin began her career as strong-willed feminist writer (Haywood 2). In the short story "The Story of an Hour" Chopin questions the need for dependency on another person, particularly men, to fulfill the needs and desire for happiness. Ch...

• Word Count: 704
• Approx Pages: 3
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

My whole life I have known I was different. I've seen things nobody else has seen. I've been places that nobody else has been. I am the chosen one, and not by my choice but by the government. I tell my story to anyone who will hear, hoping someone would believe me or say that they have experienced the same things. My name is Cynthia and I have been involved with aliens since I was 5 years old, here's my story. There are so many things in the world that our minds wonder about and never want to believe, but still have a fear in the back of their minds that it just might be real. For instance, yo...

• Word Count: 1360
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

Ming trudged through the snow in her ratty brown cloth shoes. She could barely feel her feet because water had seeped through the thin cloth and numbed her toes. All around her, fiery red lanterns hung from windows and large sheets of red paper boasting Chinese poems were plastered on doors. Today was the Lunar New Year, the most important day for the Chinese. Everybody would celebrate late into the night all the while singing traditional songs and eating delicious cuisine. Firecrackers would go off, and men would parade around dressed up in dragon and lion costumes. The Lunar New Year welcome...

• Word Count: 767
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

"Get up! Were going to be late for church!" Sean's mother yelled. Sean slowly got up out of his bed and made his way towards his dresser. Every other step he took he stepped on some sort of toy or piece of garbage that had been in his room for weeks. He pulled out the yellow painted chipped drawer and started getting dressed. Immediately after, he remembered that he needed to count his money. He rushed over to his closer door. "Two, four, six, eight, nine, ten. Aw man! I need two more dollars until I can get my special Goldfish from Fish-A-Lot." Sean said. He trampled down the stairs to a...

• Word Count: 499
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... hospital. She was a very strong woman, and enjoyed her life the most that she could in her last months being alive. Her not letting anyone know let her live the short span of her life left without pity. I believe that Henrietta's experience with the medical system would have been way less one-sided if she would have been a white woman. She ... to ensure that nothing goes unknown and the correct diagnosis and treatment is given. I would highly recommend this book for anyone going into the pre health professions. This was a wonderful story and was very interesting. This tells you how hard...

• Word Count: 748
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

A hot July day in Missouri is just a few degrees of humidity away from truly feeling like death. You aren't able to step onto your front porch to pick up the newspaper without coming back inside with a few beads of sweat on your brow. I was staying with my grandma and grandpa in St. James Missouri, a true southern cow-town with beautiful hay and cornfields for miles. Queen Anne's Lace and Black-Eyed Susans framed the old dirt roads with the beauty that comes with being a wild flower. Just a little house near the highway with a barn in the back and sunflowers that grew over six feet tall wrap...

• Word Count: 1433
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

Have you ever quilted anything to express your feelings about your family members? Quilts are used for warmth and love, but most of all, for keeping families together. All quilts serve a purpose; while some purposes could be as simple as just keeping someone warm. These ideas are expressed in three works of literature called "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker, "Quilting" by Lucille Clifton and "Patchwork Quilt" by Michelle Lanchester. Quilts can bring out the best and the worst in some families. For example, in the story "Everyday Use," one of the daughters, Dee, manipulates her mother to try to g...

• Word Count: 554
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

I never knew my father. He left when I was only five. My mom brought me up, and now we live with my grandparents in Philly. My mom and I have never had a real "mother/son" relationship. I lived most of my twenty-two years without parents and their supervision. At the age of fifteen I dropped out of high school and got a full-time job. School was a joke to me. Every morning I would go the hill behind our school to smoke. I always carried two packs of cigarettes. One full with Camel filters and one filled with pre-rolled joints. Sometimes I"d skip classes to go smoke with friends. Other days I"d...

• Word Count: 827
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... being used are mainly a vague understanding of the modern life and what goes on around the world today. Within this short story, there are many reasons and explanations as to why this story fits the 'modern life' description better than any other. A few of those reasons deal with family, mistakes that ... matter) and doing little, fun activities as a child. One thing that always seems to happen is the grandchild getting spoiled by the grandparent. In this short story, it's not the main character that is being 'spoiled', but it is her brother, Nonso that is 'spoiled'. A bett...

• Word Count: 897
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... because his wife is a homemaker. This description of Mr. Weeds has let us in on a few impertinences in the short story. The last important character that Cheever introduces is the nanny Anne Murchison. She is a young girl. Cheever brings her into the story as she is walking out of the Weeds house after watching the kids. She is crying and carrying her books ... the girl to stop her tears. He feels emotion, attraction. But has to stop these feelings at the end of the story because things like that are not accepted in this town they live in. Cheever says in the short story that nobody in ...

• Word Count: 891
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School