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The Man Upstairs by Ray Bradbury Short Story Analysis
Let’s take a look at a vampire story by American writer Ray Bradbury. “The Man Upstairs” was first published in the March 1947 issue of Harper’s Magazine. You’ll also find it in Stories Volume One and Bradbury’s 1955 collection called The October Country.
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A Cup of Tea by Katherine Mansfield Short Story Analysis
“A Cup of Tea” is a Modernist short story by Katherine Mansfield, first published in May 1922. I’m reading it 100 years later.
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The Picture In The House by H.P. Lovecraft Analysis
“The Picture In The House” is a short story of about 3,300 words by American writer H.P. Lovecraft. You don’t have to have read Lovecraft to have been influenced by the work of Lovecraft. The author was a terrible person and if you don’t want to go back to the source, that’s absolutely fine. Guaranteed, […]
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Marriage á la Mode by Katherine Mansfield Short Story Analysis
“Marriage á la Mode” (1921) is a Modernist short story by Katherine Mansfield, first published in a December edition of The Sphere: An Illustrated Newspaper for the Home. Magazines don’t normally publish summery stories in winter, but it makes more sense to know this magazine was aimed at British citizens living in the colonies. This […]
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The Daughters of the Late Colonel by Katherine Mansfield Analysis
“The Daughters of the Late Colonel” (1922) is a modernist short story by Katherine Mansfield, included in The Garden Party And Other Stories.
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Poison by Katherine Mansfield Short Story Analysis
Poison” (1920) is a short story by Katherine Mansfield, the last in the Something Childish and Other Stories collection, published by Middleton Murry four years later, after her death. Commentators have noticed veiled references to “My Last Duchess”, a poem by Robert Browning about a murderous duke.
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Taking The Veil by Katherine Mansfield Short Story Analysis
“Taking The Veil” is a short story by Katherine Mansfield, published in her collection The Dove’s Nest (1930). Our main character Edna should be feeling great right now. She’s eighteen, she’s beautiful and she’s in love. One slight problem. She is about to become a Bride of Christ, also known as taking the veil. (Or […]
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Old Man Minick by Edna Ferber Analysis
“Old Man Minick” is a short story by Edna Ferber, published 1922. A widower learns how to live contentedly after his wife dies unexpectedly before he does. WHAT HAPPENS IN “OLD MAN MINICK” Set in Chicago in the early 20th century, nearish the union stock yards, which were infamous for their stink. There’s mention of […]
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Rain by W. Somerset Maugham Analysis
“Rain” by W. Somerset Maugham is a fish-out-of-water story, in which characters wholly unsuited to their environment become marooned somewhere due to external circumstances.
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I’m A Fool by Sherwood Anderson Analysis
“I’m A Fool”(1922) is a short story written by American Sherwood Anderson, who was born around the time Lonesome Dove is set, and who died at the beginning of the second world war. So, he came along at the end of the cowboy days, lived through one world war and was heading into another. Anderson […]
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Flowering Judas by Katherine Anne Porter Short Story Analysis
“Flowering Judas” is the standout short story by Pulizer Prize winning Katherine Anne Porter, included in a collection published 1930 when Porter was 40. This short story reminds me of “A Dill Pickle” by Katherine Mansfield. Both stories are clearly about the way in which women are socially acculturated into providing emotional labour for men, […]
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The Killers by Ernest Hemingway Analysis
“The Killers” is a short story by Ernest Hemingway, first published 1927. Dorothy Parker goes on record as declaring “The Killers” the best short story of 1929.
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Big Blonde by Dorothy Parker Analysis
“Big Blonde” (1929) by Dorothy Parker is a short story in five parts, included in various collections. We can read it for free online. The ‘Good Sport’ girl is the grandmother of Gillian Flynn’s ‘Cool Girl’. When Gillian Flynn published Gone Girl, our culture had a new phrase to describe the kind of woman who […]
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At The Bay by Katherine Mansfield Short Story Analysis
“At the Bay” (1921) is considered one of Mansfield’s best short stories, by a writer at the height of her powers. This is one of the three about the Burnell family, who also star in “Prelude” and “The Doll’s House“. “At The Bay” is an interesting case study for writers, for so many reasons. Notably: […]
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Her First Ball by Katherine Mansfield Short Story Analysis
“Her First Ball” is a short story by Katherine Mansfield, written 1921. Though this story is nigh on 100 years old, it’s a tale of pick up artist culture, and reminds of the ‘toolies’ who attend Schoolies Week here in Australia. STORY STRUCTURE OF “HER FIRST BALL” Leila has turned 18, so must now attend […]
