It’s beginning to hurt

James Lasdun is a British writer. He writes novels and poetry, but he is a very famous writer of short stories. I have read “It’s beginning to hurt”, with which he was the winner of the National Short Story Competition in 2006. I truly recommend you this author and his work.

“It’s beginning to hurt” is a story of about 500 words only but with so much force and with so much content that it is really impressive. The main character is a man (Mr Bryar) who received a phone call from his wife while he was in a funeral. She asked him to pick up a salmon for dinner.

The story seems to be quite simple, but it has complex implications. The title itself is a line on the story that contains a strong meaning. The man was at the funeral of his lover, Marie, and she was the one who told him: “I’m in love with you, and it’s beginning to hurt”. You may feel that this unfaithful man should have his due but in the end, it is inevitable you feel some kind of sympathy for him.

The final situation produces an unexpected twist that makes the story so appealing. It is the first time I read his work but it was such a good experience that I think I am going to continue reading and maybe you could follow my advice and can also read some of his work because it is highly recommended

Erin

Spirits of the Railway

 

“Spirits of the Railway” is a short story that tells us of the first Chinese peasants to leave south China for the New World in the nineteenth century. The Chinese immigrants were mostly men who left their family behind in China.

    In this story, Chu goes to Canada in search of his missing father. Unable to find him, Chu ends up working in a railway construction. Then, the crew and he reach a tunnel that other workers claim is haunted. Finally, he met the “ghost” of his father, who had died while building the railway. His father claims for justice because he cannot rest in peace, his body was thrown into the river, and he did not have a proper burial.

     When the teacher asked us to read the eight collections of “Gold Mountain” about the Chinese people in the nineteenth century, I wondered why we should read that. However, after reading some of them I realized that I came out with a deeper understanding of the Chinese culture and their sufferings. In fact, I consider it a good resource to use in our classes because it could make students aware about universal issues, such as discrimination. We can also discuss different ways of breaking down some prejudices in order to promote peace throughout the world.

    Abby.

The Purple Patch (by David Bateson)

    This short story, narrated in first person point of view, tells the reader about a boy named Jackie, who was ashamed of having to wear a purple patch in the seat of his trousers because his parents could not afford a new pair of britches.
 In the first place, there was a rich girl called Penny that Jackie was trying to impress so he wanted to find a solution his problem. Thus, he sold his ball and his burning glass to a another boy in order to enter a sports’ contest and try to win some money.
 While he was inside the place, he noticed that Penny was there, too. So he took part in some competitions with other girls as partners, but in the end, he went in the Wheelbarrow Race with Penny. Much to his surprise, the girl was simple and easy-going and did not seem to care about the patch.
 Sometimes we tend to misjudge people on the basis of trivial matters. This story clearly shows how different people commit mistakes because they do not know each other very well.

Victoria

Marionettes, Inc.

Marionettes, Inc. is an amazing short story written by the well-known science fiction writer Ray Bradbury. I read this story many years ago and I really loved it. It is fantastic how real life, science fiction and ethical issues are included just in a simple short story.

This story is about two friends, Bradling and Smith who were not happily married, they felt that their lives were passing and they were not enjoying it. One day, while they were walking at night, Bradling told Smith that he was going to Rio. Going to Rio was his life-dream. Smith was completely surprised and he wanted to know how his friend could go without his wife snarl. Bradling confessed that he had bought a marionette identical to him in a new secret incorporation. Those marionettes just replaced the people when they were told; they had no feelings and easily kept in a toolbox. In this way, he could travel abroad leaving his replacement and he would have a great time in Rio. After telling this, he showed Smith Bradling two (the robot) and gave him the card presentation of the incorporation just in case he wanted it for him. That night when Smith returned home he felt completely nervous and hesitant without knowing what to do. Many times he thought about the possibility to buy one with his savings, so as he could take a break of his wife. As his thoughts did not let him sleep, he woke up in order to check his fifteen thousand dollars. For his surprise, he discovered that ten thousand dollars were missing. Immediately he went to the bedroom and questioned his wife and he started hearing a sound like tick tick tick…he found out his wife, was not his wife, but a “marionette”.Meanwhile, Bradling asked Brandling two to go into the toolbox but it refused, they quarreled because Bradling two admitted being in love with Bradling`s wife.After they struggled, bradling two managed to put his owner in the toolbox, and told him that he woul buy another Rio ticket to his wife. What seemed to be their way to escape from their wives resulted in a real nightmare for both men.

Melman

Lamb to the slaughter

The short story “Lamb to the slaughter” writen by Roald Dahl is amazing, due to its complex plot. The main character Mary Maloney is in her house waiting for his husband, who is Patrick Maloney , and works as a police detective.

            The author  does an unspected and surprising ending in the short story. During its climax Mary Maloney is going to tell her husband that she is pregnant, while he is going to leave her. Because he has just  begun another relationship with a lover.

            Not accepting what Patrick Maloney is going to abbandoned her, she kills him with a leg of lamb. In the resolution  of the short story, Mary prepares an allaby to convinced the detectives and the police , so they belive her.

            Personally, I have read the  “Lamb to the slaughter” more or less five times and I have enjoyed a lot .  In addition , the same happended with the book “ Charlie and the chocolate fabrik” writen by Roald Dahl too.Both readings are amazing to read.

Graffiti Woman

A Dead Woman’s Secret

  A Dead Woman’s Secret by Guy De Maupassant is an amazing story. The style is neat and the plot interesting.
  Firstly, there is a detailed description about a dead woman and her two children: a daughter, who was a religious woman, and a son, who was a judge. The author says the both know very little about their father.
  Secondly, another character appears: a priest who came to comfort the dead woman’s children. However, they preferred to remain alone in order to remember the old times.
  Finally, a letter, which had the word “Father”, is found. Then, the nun began to read some more letters, which were, in deed, love letters, and found out that they were written by a man who was not there father.
  What struck me most was to take notice about the process of loving their mother devotedly on part of the son, especially, to definitely disliking her at the end of the story.
On the other hand, the daughter’s attitude towards the mother was neutral, maybe because the fact that she was a nun, and in the context of the Catholicism, some sorts of acts tend to be hidden.

Victoria

The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry

The Gift of the Magi was originally published in 1906, in O. Henry's second collection of short stories, The Four Million. O. Henry was just a pen name for the man whose real name was William Sydney Porter. He's considered one of the great American short story authors. The story is about a young married couple and how they deal with the challenge of buying secret Christmas gifts for each other with very little money. Della with her hair and Jim with his watch, their most precious belongings sold to make money enough for buying a present for each other. This story brings tears in my eyes every time I read it. It is one of the most memorable stories I have read.  A must read for all those who believe that love gives us a fairy tale.

Zoe