This unit we have been studying short stories. Most of the short stories that I read were those from a list written by Mrs. Maloney, my English teacher. The stories on that list are made by very famous authors such as Roald Dahl and James Joyce.The stories that I read have been Araby, by James Joyce, Goat's Tobacco by Roald Dahl, At the Pitt-Rivers by Penelope Lively, The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin, and The Moment Before the Gun Went Off by Nadine Gordimer. All of the stories that I have read are really good, my favorite being "The Moment Before the Gun Went Off" by Nadine Gordimer. The story is about a white South African farmer who shoots his black worker/friend by mistake while they were driving. There is a MAJOR plot twist at the end, but I won't spoil it. That story is my favorite for many reasons. firstly, I can relate to the setting. The story is set in South Africa, where I live, so it makes it easier to visualize the story. Also, since I live in South Africa, I have heard a lot about Apartheid and know about the tension between whites and blacks here, which is a key component in the story. Secondly, it is beautifully written. The writer, called Nadine Gordimer, is a white South African, so obviously she knows what she is writing about. Of all the stories that I have read, my least favorite was Roald Dahl's Goat's Tobacco. I used that story for my infographic (go check it out it's also on this blog). I used it because I was familiar with the author. Unfortunately, it is not as good as Roald Dahl's other stories. It is a memoir, and in it he remembers when he was a little boy and his family went on vacation and pulled a prank on his sister's lover. The story is fine, but it just won't affect you, or make you think: it is very basic. At the Pitt-Rivers by Penelope Lively and The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin are both to me quite average to me. They were nice, and made you think, but to me they weren't exceptional, however, I know that Mrs. Maloney loves those stories, so it honestly depends on the person. Finally, the last story that I have read is Araby by James Joyce. I won't explain how I feel about it as I'm giving a TedTalk presentation on it, so you will be able to see how I feel about it very soon.
Thank you :-)
