...Have you ever read the short story titled ‘There’s a Man in the Habit of Hitting Me on the Head with an Umbrella’ (by Fernando Sorrentino) ? http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/TherMan.shtml What do you think of the story? As I read this short story in the beginning, the gist of what I have captured the narrator writing is whether the man with a strange habit does really exist or not. Or, if he did exist who was the man that was hitting the narrator in the story on the head without stopping. It sticks in my mind wondering who the strange man was to the narrator. Somehow, despite the agony of trying to understand the motive underlies the story; I was at first wondering what was the strange man had gone through actually and somehow I could feel the strange man’s plight humorous. Was it a medical condition that was driving him crazy? It’s rather hard for me to really understand the whole point of the story until it came to the end and after repeating reading it a number of times. Based on the description the narrator described about the man in the story, I assumed that the man is an old man and came from rather an average community. This story has kind of deep meaning. There’s no such thing one real man can be with us all the time without eating, doing nothing except hitting people with an umbrella for the past 5 years uncontrollably no matter how the narrator tried to get rid of that man. From what I could see the narrator is trying to convey messages...
Words: 993 - Pages: 4
... English and Literature Short Story Review - "There's Man in the Habit of Hitting Me on the Head with an Umbrella" by Fernando Sorrentino In: English and Literature Short Story Review - "There's Man in the Habit of Hitting Me on the Head with an Umbrella" by Fernando Sorrentino Have you ever read the short story titled ‘There’s a Man in the Habit of Hitting Me on the Head with an Umbrella’ (by Fernando Sorrentino) ? http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-stories/UBooks/TherMan.shtml What do you think of the story? As I read this short story in the beginning, the gist of what I have captured the narrator writing is whether the man with a strange habit does really exist or not. Or, if he did exist who was the man that was hitting the narrator in the story on the head without stopping. It sticks in my mind wondering who the strange man was to the narrator. Somehow, despite the agony of trying to understand the motive underlies the story; I was at first wondering what was the strange man had gone through actually and somehow I could feel the strange man’s plight humorous. Was it a medical condition that was driving him crazy? It’s rather hard for me to really understand the whole point of the story until it came to the end and after repeating reading it a number of times. Based on the description the narrator described about the man in the story, I assumed that the man is an old man and came from rather an average community. This story has kind of deep meaning....
Words: 435 - Pages: 2
...picked up the receiver, Melissa realised she didn't know Simon's number. She always just scrolled down to his name on her mobile.’’ This is how the narrator of Sarah Butler’s short story ‘’Number 40’’ describes Melissa’s loss of memory, which is chasing her throughout the story. The numerous attempts to fantasise her away from her lonely invisible everyday life culminate in the end, and she has to face the reality. These are some of the difficulties we are dealing with in the short story, through the actions and thoughts of the Melissa. The story is told through a third person limited narrator, who follows Melissa throughout the story. The narrator describes the story through Melissa point of view, and we get an insight of what she thinks and feels, though it’s told in third person: ‘’Melissa watched his face. His jaw moved in a chewing motion and she wondered if he ground his teeth in his sleep. He turned to her, lips pursed.’’ (p. 2, l. 106-108). Because of Melissa’s memory loss and strange behaviour, the narrator becomes unreliable. As a reader, we don’t get any other information than from Melissa, and it’s difficult to assess whether it corresponds to the reality. Through the confusing point of view, the reader creates it’s own interpretation of the story. The main character in the short story is Melissa, which seems very anxious and unbalanced. She is very confused about life, and though she hates forgetting things, it happens quite often. She feels neglected on...
Words: 866 - Pages: 4
...with an Umbrella” Fernando Sorrentino This story by Fernando Sorrentino is short, sweet, and at first glance, potentially absurd. To picture a man, with no physiological needs, hitting a man on the head for 5 years is absurd. How can something so ludicrous possibly be real, which begs the question is the man with the umbrella actually real, or just a figment of his imagination, or something else entirely? This story begs many questions, most of which are never answered by Sorrentino. It is obvious after reading this, that it is not just a story about a strange man hitting another man over the head with an umbrella. There aren’t many people I know who would grow accustomed to someone constantly hitting them in the head. Early on in life we are told if someone is doing something to piss you off, pretend its not bothering you, and eventually they will admit defeat and leave you alone. Soon after this strange man starts “automatically” and “impassively” hitting this other man on the head, he has to endure a “terrific punch in the face”. Safe to say if he were just hitting him with his umbrella to piss this random stranger off, he had succeeded. But this theory is quashed in the opening paragraph, when the narrator says “it is five years to the day since he began hitting me on the head with his umbrella”. No man would go to such lengths to piss off a random stranger, at least not an ordinary man. Another potential possibility is that the man with the umbrella is actually...
Words: 403 - Pages: 2
...he has mostly lived abroad - in Paris, New York, Barcelona and Mexico - in a more or less compulsory exile. Besides his large output of fiction he has written screenplays and has continued to work as a journalist. Kate Chopin, born Katherine O'Flaherty (February 8, 1850 – August 22, 1904), was an American author of short stories and novels. She is now considered by some to have been a forerunner of feminist authors of the 20th century. From 1892 to 1895, she wrote short stories for both children and adults which were published in such magazines as Atlantic Monthly, Vogue, The Century Magazine, and The Youth's Companion. Her major works were two short story collections, Bayou Folk (1894) and A Night in Acadie (1897). Her important short stories included "Desiree's Baby", a tale of miscegenation in antebellum Louisiana (published in 1893),"The Story of an Hour" (1894),[2] and "The Storm "(1898). "The Storm" is a sequel to "The 'Cadian Ball," which appeared in her first collection of short stories, Bayou Folk. Chopin also wrote two novels: At Fault(1890) and The Awakening (1899), which are set in New Orleans and Grand Isle, respectively. The people in her stories are usually inhabitants of Louisiana. Many of her works are set in Natchitoches in north central Louisiana. Within a decade of her death, Chopin was widely recognized as one of the leading writers of her time. In...
Words: 918 - Pages: 4
...Ruskin Bond (born 19 May 1934) is an Indian author of British descent. In 1992, he received the Sahitya Akademi Award for his short story collection.He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1999 for contributions to children's literature. Based on Bond's historical novel A Flight of Pigeons (about an episode during the Indian Rebellion of 1857), the Hindi film Junoon was produced in 1978 by Shashi Kapoor and directed by Shyam Benegal. Ruskin Bond made his maiden big screen appearance with a cameo in Vishal Bhardwaj's film 7 Khoon Maaf, based on his short story Susanna's Seven Husbands. Bond appears as a Bishop in the movie with Priyanka Chopra playing the title role.[2] Bond had earlier collaborated with him in the The Blue Umbrella which was also based on his story. Most of his works are influenced by life in the hill stations at the foothills of the Himalayas, where he spent his childhood. His first novel, The Room On the Roof, was written when he was 17 and published when he was 21. Since then he has written over three hundred short stories, essays and novels . Ruskin has beautifully covered the nature related facets of the story; the river, the island, and the wrath that Monsoon brings with it. he has the affinity to form the protagonists out of small girls with strong characters. . Ruskin has an excellent ability of making his characters meet in strange and bizarre situations and then forming a wonderful relationship among...
Words: 251 - Pages: 2
...Cat in the rain analysis Cat in the rain by Ernest Hemmingway is build up by the iceberg theory. The iceberg theory means primary that he writes indirectly and between the lines, so the reader has to think a lot about the story. Hemmingway really like to use symbols to hide what he means. The story takes place at a fancy Italian hotel. The hotel room faces the sea and a garden with a very desired war monument, which Italians come far away to see. The hotel has good service for example when the woman goes out for the cat and then the hotelkeeper takes care of the woman by sending the maid out with an umbrella for her. “…. an umbrella opened behind her. It was the maid who looked after their room. You must not get wet” (S. 1). In the whole story it is raining a lot “It was raining a lot. The rain dripped from the palm trees” (S. 1). It’s a symbol of their relationship. It is very important that the woman doesn´t get wet. “Do not get wet, he said.” - “You must not get wet” (S. 1). Rain is a main factor for facility, and when the woman doesn’t get wet, it means that the relationship is under a conflict. George said don’t get wet to the woman. It symbolizes that he doesn´t want to do something. Maybe he is satisfied with how relationship goes on. Another symbol is the cat. The cat symbolizes a baby. She wants to protect the cat, like it was her own baby. “The cat was trying to make herself so compact that she would not be dripped on.” (S.1). Again it relates to their relationship...
Words: 725 - Pages: 3
...The Cop and the Anthem By O. Henry The link of the short story “The Cop and the Anthem” http://americanenglish.state.gov/resources/gift-magi-and-other-stories#child-436 Soapy is a man who is homeless. In the winter Soapy tries to survive in cold weather, he decides to get into prison in order to get free food and shelter. Three months of foods everyday and a bed every night, three months save from the cold north wind and save from cops. He tries many things to get attention from the cop. One of those things is that he goes to a restaurant. But when he steps to restaurant’s door the head waiter gives him a sign to get out with his hand. And then Soapy turn off Broadway. There is a shop with a glass white window and Soapy picks up the big stones and throw it through the glass, people come running. A cop is the first among them. Soapy stands still and smiles when he sees the cop. But the cop’s mind would not consider Soapy. Men who break windows don’t stop there to talk to cops. Soapy goes to another restaurant. He sits at the table and has dinner. When he has finished, he says he doesn’t have money and tells the waiter to call a cop. But there is no cop. The waiter throws Soapy upon his left ear on the hard street outside. He tries to annoy woman in front of a cop, pretend to be drunk, but always fail, at last he tries to steal a man’s umbrella. It turns out that the man doesn’t own the umbrella, he found it this morning in a restaurant. When he is going...
Words: 423 - Pages: 2
...power which affects the lives of people and also changes their beliefs, thoughts and ideals, thus changing them ultimately. Have you ever taken a journey? We have all found ourselves on a journey of some kind or another alone, but what is more important is how we choose to end our journey. The two literary works that I have chosen to compare and contrast are “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty and “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost. At first glance the two literary works appear to be about the same thing, but upon deeper reflection we conclude that they are not, as one is written as a short story and the other is written as a poem. The short story speaks of a “path” while the poem speaks of a “road.” The theme that each of these literary works share are presented differently throughout each piece. However, both pieces speak about the paths, roads and choice in life. “A Worn Path” tells the story of Phoenix Jackson, an elderly African American woman who lived in the South. Phoenix’s narrative is about her voyage from her discreet rustic life in the country as she embarks on a journey into the city in order to get medication...
Words: 2218 - Pages: 9
...Man from the South of Dahl Roald The short story “Man from the South” is one of the most famous stories of Dahl Roald. This tale speaking about a bet between two men; an American young sailor and an elderly man called Carlos. The story started when Carlos sat down in one of the tables around the swimming pool, next to another man, the narrator. At the same time in the swimming pool there were a lot of American sailors, who were playing and were getting on with some English girls. Suddenly one of the cadets sat at the same table with one of the English girls and then he took a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. When he was going to light the smoke between his lips, the little man, Carlos, started to say the sailor`s lighter wouldn`t work when there was the wind. The cadet told him that it always worked and it had never failed; it was then that Carlos ordered the bet. If the boy had could light his lighter without fail for ten times, he`d have won Carlos’ car, a Cadillac; but if the boy had lost, he`d have lost his little finger. At first the young boy doubted about this, but Carlos kept to persuading him until he agreed to do that. Then they came in to the hotel room of Carlos and the little man started to prepare all the necessary for the bet and when all was prepared, the boy started to strike the lighter while Carlos held a chopper handing in the air ready to cut off the finger. Suddenly...
Words: 815 - Pages: 4
...Symbolism of the Journey ENG 125 September 11, 2011 Symbolism of the Journey, a comparison of two stories The short stories “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty and “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost are both stories that involve using the journey as a symbol. The symbol that the journey portrays in both of these pieces of literature is that of life. Life as a human being involves the right of choice in one of the literary works, and a lack of choice in the second. This paper will compare and contrast these two literary works which share the same theme. The comparison of the two stories will involve a comparison of the content, form, and style in an effort to provide deep insight into the theme of the stories; as well as insight into the hidden meanings poetry offers its readers to touch us on a deeper level. Content In the story “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty, content is developed through a complex series of descriptions. The story begins with a description of the setting which is a cold December morning in a far off path through a pinewood forest. The character is an old Negro woman who is described as being very old and small and wearing a head tied red rag. The woman is further described as wearing a dark red stripped dress and apron and carrying a cane and an umbrella. These descriptions of the setting give the reader a clear picture of the setting and character in the story as well as how the character moves when the author describes her as moving slowly through the pine...
Words: 2653 - Pages: 11
...named Damien. Now unlike most stories, Damien was in fact, a normal person. He went to Glorpenstein High School or just GHS for short. He had many friends, Derek, Dominique, and Hank. Derek was the school nerd, you ask him to solve an equation, he’ll have an answer for you in 10 seconds flat! Dominique was a simple man, and was quite boring. Makes you wonder why Damien was friends with him. He worked at a local Moe’s and was skinny enough to cosplay a skeleton on Halloween. Hank was the classroom clown, voted to most likely to become famous, and all around a horrible person. On this fateful day Damien had gotten sick of Hank’s pranks, and decided to stand up for himself for once. Hank had told Derek about a prank he was going to pull on Damien. Derek, without telling anyone else, warned Damien about the incoming attack. Apparently Hank was going drop a bucket of slime all over Damien and Dominique at the same time as they walked out the school doors! Damien grabbed an umbrella and headed towards the doors wearing a grasshopper mask. Damien had known Hank’s only true fear, and he was...
Words: 1019 - Pages: 5
...The Journey: Symbolism of “The Road Not Taken” and “A Worn Path” From their titles, we realize these short stories will take us on a literary journey but what we do not realize are the choices and obstacles the protagonists encounter that adds dimension to the story. The readers’ perceptions about the events are changed by the symbolism surrounding the characters and the conflicts that are presented. “A Worn Path” is a character story told in a third-person point of view about an elderly, colored woman and her journey along a path she has taken many time before. Throughout the story Phoenix is involved in conflict by struggling against nature, social conditions and against her own physical circumstances. From the characters name alone we instantly envision a strong individual, the name implies a mythological creature that it said to be as large as an eagle, with brilliant scarlet and gold plumage. It was said that only one phoenix existed at any one time with a life expectancy of at least 500 years. As the phoenix approached the end of life, it would build a nest, set fire to it and would die in fire to only rise from the ashes and be stronger. Ironically, Phoenix has her hair in a red rag which correlates with the scarlet plumage of the ancient bird. Her name combined with the first two paragraphs deliver a meticulous description of our character: Far out in the country there was an old Negro woman with her head tied in a red rag, coming along a...
Words: 352 - Pages: 2
... Beer who was the widow of a canon. This comparison the author used to show us that the old lady became a widow long ago and probably used to live alone. Then the author describes her appearance and her character . She was a short, stout woman with a red face and a heavy jaw — a pugnacious and indomitable face. And having known this description we can say it was a bossy person who liked to give orders to other people. The author compare her face with the faces in boxing booths, who have been in the ring all their lives and lost all their fight but still follow the game, in order to show that she already «lost her fight», but anyway like giving arbitrary commands . And when she got to know about this arrangement she came without any warning and broke into Tutin’s office, with an umbrella in hand as if about to beat him. This comparison author used to underline she had very serious intentions as to his son-in-low. «This was in the presence of the secretary who was taking a dictation — not Phyllis was no longer a secretary». And to describe Phyllis wit the author uses irony: » thoroughly reliable person» which was chosen specially to her future husband. «Period Piece» written by an Anglo-Irish writer Joyce Cary is a humorous short story. It is basically about a respectable middle-aged man, Frank Tutin, who has fallen in love with his young secretary Phyllis. As a result Tutin wanted to divorce his wife...
Words: 650 - Pages: 3
...Kate Chopins' "The Story of an Hour", there is a lot of information about the setting missing from the story and I think it helps it overall, being an already condensed story with very little action or dialogue between any of the characters; this seems to help by saving the space for describing in great details Mrs. Mallard and her feelings and how she reacted to the news of her husband’s death “She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sisters arms” (Chopin 115). Mrs. Mallard is battling a great conflict from the worst of all sources of such; inside herself. She is fighting and denying the facts that she feels relieved and even joyous at the realization that her husband is dead “She was beginning to recognize a this thing that was approaching to possess her, and she was striving to beat it back with her will – as powerless as her two white slender hands would have been” (Chopin 115-116). A greater feeling even than that of the grief she initially felt at hearing the news of his death a few short moments earlier. She is her own antagonist! Then just when she has convinced herself that she is not wrong for feeling this way; happy, free, alive “Free! Body and soul free!” ( Chopin 116), “There was a feverish triumph in her eyes, and she carried herself unwittingly like a goddess of Victory” (Chopin 117), in walks her husband alive and well “It was Brently Mallard who entered, a little travel-stained, composedly carrying his grip sack and umbrella” (Chopin 117). ...
Words: 388 - Pages: 2
