1. Neighbours /Tim Winton
Summary
The short story "Neighbors" was written by an Australian novelist Tim Winton. The story depicts that linguistic and cultural barriers do not create any obstacle in human relationship. It also tells us how much neighbors are important for us, no matter what their culture and tradition is. They all become like a part of the same family when we are living together in the same society.
When a newly married young couple first comes to their new home, they feel strange because of the new place and neighborhood. They find themselves among a large number of European immigrants. At first, they (new couple) feel uncomfortable having to listen to their next-door neighbors' loud conversations, a Macedonian family, and the hammering of their other next-door neighbor, a Polish Widower, among other things. The young couple’s house is small but it has a high ceiling and panned window which give them the feel of the stylist cottage.
Before coming to a new home, he used to live in a residential area where good neighbors were seldom seen and never heard. So, they assumed their new neighbor is same. At first, the young couples have prejudices and dislikes about their neighbors. They start to notice the strange and even unpleasant customs of their new neighborhood.
In the autumn season, the young couple cleared rubbish from their backyard and began planting the garden with a variety of vegetables. The neighbors suggested the young man the way of planting vegetables. A neighbor woman even gave the young woman a bag of garlic cloves to plant.
After sometime, the young couple built a henhouse for their chickens but it fell down. A polish man who disturbed him at the beginning came without invitation and rebuilt it. They didn’t understand the word he spoke after helping because of their difference in their language. Now, they share their things with their neighbors like cabbage, firewood etc. and they assist each other in the work.
The young couple in this case grows fond of their new neighbors and, after their initial adjustment phase, they discover that most of their neighbors are not bad people.
Even though the couple had not planned for a pregnancy, it happens and discovered within a short period of time. Once a lady knows she is pregnant, the people around her find out and shower her with gifts and advice. This encourages the entire community to speak with them and provide help to them. Thus the young couple is satisfied with their new neighbors and they feel happy.
Following the birth of their kid, all of their neighbors are pleased for them and wish them the best. The young guy learns at the story's end that 20th-century literature had not prepared him for this. The two have become comfortable when the entire community comes together to celebrate the arrival of their new kid. They are surprised by the uncontrolled love that greets them.
The main purpose of this short story is to communicate the message of the importance of creating a peaceful atmosphere with one’s neighbors.
2. A Respectable Woman / Kate Chopin
Summary
The story “A Respectable Woman” is written by Kate Chopin, an American novelist and short story writer. She is famous for female writing. This story is structured around the character of Mrs Baroda and her inner conflict as she finds herself attracted to her husband’s friend. The conflict follows the pattern of classical fiction and moves from exposition to rising action and then to climax and resolution.
This story begins with Mrs Baroda who is upset (sad) to know that her husband’s friend Gouvernail is intending (planning) to spend a week or two at the plantation as she had planned to take a rest and spend time with each other because they were very busy during that time. She had never met Gouvernail before despite knowing that her husband and Gouvernail were very good friends and she had heard about him much and now he is journalist. At first she had a mental image of him as a tall, slim cynical man, which she dislikes but when she meets him who is neither tall nor cynical; she discovers that she likes him. She doesn’t know why she likes him despite the fact that he doesn’t appear intelligent and exciting. He is simply quiet and kind. He makes no effort to impress her in any way and enjoy sitting on the Portico (entrance) listening Gaston describing sugar plantation although he dislikes fishing and hunting. She finds him puzzling yet charming and inoffensive. She doesn’t like to spend time with him in the beginning but later she startsstarts accompanying him on walks. She expects him to be more interesting and lively.
When her husband ‘Gaston’ informs her that Gouvernail is willing to stay one more week, she becomes very unhappy where as her husband gets delighted. He Says that he doesn’t expect a commotion (disorder) over his visit and that he just wants a break from his busy life.
That night she sits alone on bench outside getting confused and puzzled and willing to leave the plantation, having told her husband that she might go to the city in the morning to live with her aunt. Meanwhile Gouvernail notices her and he goes and sits next to her, unaware of her discomfort with his presence. Gouvernail,on behalf of Gaston, gives her a scarf and he talks about the night weather and he also tells her about his childhood. She is drawn to his voice more than his wordsand she considers drawing him closer despite her resistance because she is a respectable woman. Eventually she leaves there. She wants to tell her husband about his behavior but she realizes that she must deal with her emotion and problem herself. Next day she goes to city and doesn’t return until he is gone. Gaston requests him to return next summer but she doesn’t like that. Later she changes her mind and negative perception about Gouvernail and she wishes him visit there again. She says that she has overcome everything and she will treat him withwith more respect and dignity. This is how she settles down her problem and confines herself as a respectable woman.
3. A Devoted Son / Anita Desai
Summary
“A Devoted Son” is a realistic story written by Anita Desai, an Indian novelist,short story writer and the writer of children’s books. The story is set in a middle-class Indian family in an Indian village. The story shows how parents cherish theirambition towards their children and how a son should fulfill his duty towards theparents. There is a reference to Rakesh Barma in the story title - a devoted son,and the plot revolves on him. He's from a small Indian town. Varma's dad worksas an oil salesman.
The story starts with news of his success in the medical examination, followed by afamily party with the neighbours. When he receives the chance to study further inthe U.S., he departs. Mr. Varma is quite pleased of his kid since he performed wellthere. Although some locals believe he may forget the past and his grounds andstay there.
Even though Rakesh is offered a position at one of America's most prestigioushospitals, he refuses because he wants to be of service to his parents and hiscountry. Rakesh likes America, but his family comes first for him. He still has astrong desire to return home. He returns to his hometown and launches a businesswhen he has both enough expertise and money. His parents became very unhappywith him. They are confused by his desire to return home and throw away all hehas achieved.
Rakesh returns from US, and marries someone from the rural South with a lowlevel of education. There's some very solid evidence of a family conflict. Thecouple gets married despite the concerns of Rakesh's parents. He begins working ata hospital in the city. In little time at all, he becomes the hospital's director, andeveryone is delighted. In doing so, he has made them proud of him. In the end, heopens his own clinic. Sadly, his mother dies, and his father gets extremely depressed as a result of this.
Now that Rakesh has a family of his own, he is unable to devote enough time to hisfather. His father gets very sick not long after. In order to take care of his ailingfather, he asks his wife to supply him with medication and food at the appropriatetime. Despite Rakesh's prohibition, his father attempts to obtain sweets fromRakesh's son. Rakesh is concerned about his son's lack of loyalty. His dad lamentsabout not being able to eat enough and eat according to his will. Their relationshipbecomes strained, yet he becomes closer to his father. There's a ending of the storywhen his father dies.
4. The Treasure in the Forest / H.G. Wells
This story is written by H.G. Wells, an English novelist. It is a story of suspenseand thrill (pleasure/adventure) in which two men who go to search for Spanishtreasure (wealth), meet a tragic end. As the story moves ahead it shows how powerand greed corrupt human beings. The main message of the story is not to take riskwhen we are not prepared to something.
The story begins with two characters Evans and Hooker who were headingtowards a coral island on a canoe (boat) in search of Spanish treasure. MeanwhileHooker is studying a map of the treasures, which the narrator reveals they havestolen from a China man, Chang-hi, whom they murdered during the theft. In factChang hi had by chance discovered the treasure left behind by a shipwreck aSpanish galleon (ship) and decided to rebury it elsewhere revealed by his map.They are very much tired and hungry having travelled day and night withouthaving anything. When they see the map they get puzzled by the dashes shown onthe map. However they identify the spot indicated on the map. After that theyreach to the interior (center) of the island through the forest.
As Hooker is sailing the boat, Evans falls asleep and sees a little fire with threeChinese people sitting around it in his dream. They were talking about the Spanishtreasure which a Chinese man Chang-hi had got after being shipwrecked and he wanted to take those treasures away from there. They murder Chang-hi, a Chineseman brutally and steal the treasure map. When Chan –hi gets murdered, he grins atthem. However neither of them understands the intention behind it. Meanwhile hewakes up and they follow the map and soon discover a forest, then a pile of stonesjust like the map. At the same time they also see a man’s corpse full of bruises(damages) laid beside the purple and swollen body, which they assume is Chanhi’s worker who decided to take advantage by himself seeing the dug hole andsome gold. Evans sees the dug hole and he also finds gold ingots (piece of metal)in the hole and takes them out, puts them in his jacket. On the other hand Hooker istotally confused at how it has happened here. He in fact wants to know the causebehind this death. As they start moving from there Evans feels he is pricked bythorn and he can’t walk further. His friend Hooker wants to help him but Evanssays him not to touch him and he dies. When Hooker pulls the jacket full of goldingots, he gets pricked by the thorn. Meanwhile he understands the grin of Chang– hi.
In fact Chang –hi had covered the ingots with thorns full of lethal (fatal) poison.As he tries to suck his finger, it is already late. He feels a strange pain in his bodyand eventually he dies. The story ends with Hooker dying next to the corpse of hisfriend. Here lesson of the story is greed kills people.