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Short Story Reading

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Short Story Reading
Week 1: Short Story Reading
Poison by Roald Dahl
The short story Poison by Roald Dahl is set in India when it is still under the British rule. In this story the theme is represented by Harry, who thinks that the krait has crawled on his stomach and has made Timber call a doctor for help to solve the situation. The entire time I was reading the story, I thought that the main conflict is between the Harry, Timber, Dr. Ganderbai and the krait on Harry's stomach. But in the last few paragraphs, I realize that Dahl's real point is about racism. For many hours and intense work to diffuse the krait on Harry’s stomach they discover that there was no krait in the first place. This represents the theme that Harry had a misunderstanding with his sheets and Timber and the Dr. Ganderbai could have been avoided. Harry was perfectly willing to let Dr. Ganderbai help him get rid of the krait as long as his life wasn’t in danger, but as soon as Ganderbai dared to question Harry, he made rude nasty remark to the Dr. and showed his true colors. Roald Dahl writes the story using tension and suspense. He makes the readers uncertain about the characters and the krait. The suspense in the story made me turn the pages. I felt frighten for Harry and made it hanging in midair. Roald Dahl writes Poison in first person point of view. It was a great story of my favorite short stories. It really made me want to finish the story and know what happens to Harry and the krait.
Thank You, M’am by Langston Hughes
The short story Thank You, M’am is important because it carries great social value. The story features two characters; Roger and Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones. Thank You, M’am tells the story of a boy who tries to steal Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones’s purse. The large purse had everything in it but hammer and nails. She scolds the boy and realizes he has no one at home to take care of him properly. Roger had many opportunities to prove himself to be a thief and a thug;

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