Themes and Elements
| Title | Common Themes found in the short stories | Elements and Techniques to discuss in the short stories |
| Mom Luby and the Social Worker By Kristin Hunter | Social Injustice in minority groups Womanhood and the challenges of being a woman Poverty among minority groups Hardship of the Black woman | Setting Narrative Point of View Juxtaposition Satire Irony Humour |
| The Boy who Loved Ice Cream By Olive Senior | Obsession or Paranoia Tensions and the challenges common in rural life Desire and dreams Poverty among minority groups Childhood Experiences | Juxtaposition Narrative Point of View Irony Symbolism Pathetic Fallacy Characterization |
| Blood Brothers By John Wickham | Masculinity Brotherhood Childhood Experiences Identity Power/Powerlessness Point of View Sibling Rivalry | Irony Narrative Point of View Symbolism Diction Nature Duality Characterization |
| Man of the House By Frank O’Connor | Identity Masculinity Childhood Innocence Childhood Experiences Guilt Forgiveness Growth | Narrative Point of View Characterization Irony Satire Symbolism Biblical Allusion Dialogue Humour |
| The Two Grandmothers By Olive Senior | IdentityTradition Vs ModernityRural Life vs Urban LifePrejudice towards people and placesMaturity and growing upSocial Class and the differences in social classes | Juxtaposition Use of Dialect Narrative Point of View Irony Setting Characterization |
| To Dah – Duh in Memoriam By Paule Marshall | Tradition vs Modernity Rural Life vs Urban Life The inevitability of Changes and Death Identity and the conflict in finding one’s identity Love and Family Relationships Nostalgia and longing for the past Displacement Rivalry | Juxtaposition Symbolism Imagery Narrative Point of View Biblical Allusion Epigraph Personification Irony Setting Characterization |
| Blackout by Roger Mais | Racial and cultural Inequality Gender Discrimination Social Class and Inequality Prejudice and Discrimination Power and Powerlessness based on racial disparity Rivalry | Juxtaposition Shifting Stream of Consciousness Diction Irony Narrative Point of View Symbolism Allusion Setting |
| Berry by Langston Hughes | Racial Prejudice/ Racial Discrimination Oppression Power/ Powerlessness Alienation/ Marginalization Relationships and the challenges of forming relationships across cultures | Juxtaposition Narrative Point of View Pun Setting |
| Emma by Carolyn Cole | Childhood and Childhood Experiences Innocence/Naivety Identity Family Relationships Class Disparity Maturity and Growth Jealousy and the effects of jealousy Death | Contrast Use of Choppy Sentences Symbolism Narrative Point of View Role Reversal Motif of Games Irony Sarcasm Characterisation |
| The Day the World Almost Came to an End by Pearl Crayton | Goodness Childhood Innocence Family Relationships Fear of the unknown Religion | Contrast Humour Irony Flashback Narrative Point of View |
Discover more from Think and Write for CSEC English A and B
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
