SEM II - UNIT- III Short Stories

SEMESTER - II

UNIT - III - SHORT STORIES

1.  The Fortune Teller – Karpel Capek

Introduction:

Karpel Capek was a famous Czech novelist. He was also a playwright and a short story writer. “The Fortune Teller” is one of his famous stories. This story is about how a fraudulent fortune-teller is punished. A detective Inspector finds out the fact that the fortune-teller is a fraud. The irony of the story is that the prediction of the fortune-teller becomes true.

MacLeary’s Suspicion:

The Detective Inspector MacLeary suspected that Mrs. Myers was a fraud. Mrs. Myers earned good money as a professional fortune-teller. She did not have the legal citizen identity also. She was a German by birth. She led a rich and happy life. Mr. MacLeary wanted to find out the truth of this lady. He took the help of his wife. Mrs. MacLeary went to meet Mrs. Myers. She removed her wedding ring. She also dressed herself very girlishly. She called herself Miss. Jones.

Mrs. Myers’ prediction about Mrs. MacLeary‘s future:

Mrs.Myers used cards to predict the future of Mrs. MacLeary who introduced herself as Miss. Jones. Mrs. Myers said that Miss Jones must be twenty years old. She would marry a very rich man. She would cross the ocean. But before her wedding she would have to overcome great obstacles. The obstacle may be due to an old man. Miss. Jones said it could be her uncle. But Mrs. Myers was not able to find out that what Mrs. MacLeary said were all lies.

Legal Action Against Mrs. Myers

Mr. MacLeary came to know about Mrs. Myers. Mrs. MacLeary told him that she was not able to predict things correctly. Mrs. Myers was summoned to appear before Mr. Kelly, a magistrate. He told her that Mrs. MacLeary has been married for the last three years to Detective Inspector Mac Leary. Mrs. Mac Leary is 24 years old and not 20. Mrs. Myers was not able to give any satisfactory answers. Mr. Kelly asked her to stop telling the fortunes. She must also leave the country.

The Irony of the Story

About a year later Mr. Kelly met Detective Inspector MacLeary. During their conversation Mr. Kelly learnt the sad incident that took place in Mr. MacLeary’s life. Mrs. MacLeary married a millionaire and left for Australia although her husband tried to frustrate her plans.

Conclusion

The writer has given a very good twist in the climax. The climax makes the readers think. We all like to know our future. Fortune-teller make use of this earn good money. When something good happens we fall a prey to them. We only pity Mr.MacLeary who has been punished not by law by fate.

******************************************** 

2. The Postmaster – Rabindranath Tagore

Introduction

Rabindranath Tagore is a well known freedom fighter, writer and social reformer. He is the author of our National Anthem. He was awarded the Noble Prize for Literature in 1913 for his work, “Gitanjali”. The short story ‘The Post master’  centers on a young Postmaster who is longing for human companionship in a remote village.

The Postmaster

The Postmaster has been given appoinment from Calcutta to a small Indian village named Ulapur. From the noise of the city life, he comes to a deserted village. He finds himself very lonely. So he started writing poetry. Then he got the companionship of a young servant girl named Ratan. He narrates to the girl stories about his family. Later the girl is quickly attached to the postmaster.

Ratan: The Orphan Girl

Rattan is an orphan girl of the village. She does all the household works for the Postmaster. She would sit outside the postmaster’s office, being only a call away from him and doing all the small works. She did not have many memories of her family to be recalled. She affectionately calls him as “Dada”- brother.

Unreciprocated affection of Ratan

The Postmaster falls sick in his solitude. Rattan takes care of him. Now she has developed strong, seemingly romantic feelings for him. However, he does not view Ratan in the same way. As soon as he recovers from his sickness, he decides to leave the village. He writes an application of transfer based on the poor conditions. His transfer requests remain unanswered. So he resigns his job. Ratan is extremely upset and asks him to take her with him. He finds her request absurd and denies it. Rattan is depressed and starts grieving over it.

Postmaster’s Departure

The postmaster consoles Ratan saying that he would inform the new postmaster about her and offers her some money. But she refuses both and said she does not want to say there anymore. She led a life of loneliness. Dada was her only companion who understood her very well. Now she feels broken as he leaves without her, when the new postmaster arrives to the village. He hesitates for a moment as the boat leaves, but it is too late for him to take her with him.

Conclusion

Tagore ends the story by saying that meeting, attachment and departing are all part of life. Everything settles with the passages of time.

                                        **********************************************

                                            3. The Model Millionaire by Oscar Wilde

Introduction

Oscar Wilde is a famous British essayist, short story writer, novelist, and playwright. His writings are both humorous and serious. His stories like “The Selfish Giant”, “The Happy Prince” and The Model Millionaire” are very popular. “The Model Millionaire” conveys the message that being and doing good has its own reward.

Hughie Erskine

Hughie Erskine was a husband but jobless young man. He lived on an allowance of 200 pounds per year from his aunt. His father had given him a sword and a history book in 15 volumes. He did not have any use for them. He tried different kinds of business. Unfortunately, he was always unlucky. Though he had no money, he was popular with men and women. He fell in love with Laura Merton, the daughter of a tried army officer.

Colonel Merton’s condition

Colonel Merton liked Hughie. But he was very strict in the matter of marriage. He told Hughie that he could marry Laura after he had earned ten thousand pounds of his own. Naturally, Hughie was upset because he had no money.

Hughie gives money to a beggar

Hughie had a close friend called Alan Trevor. Trevor was a painter and had his own studio. He also liked Hughie very much. So, he permitted him to visit his studio any time. One day, Hughie visited his friend on his way to Laura’s house. Then Trevor was painting an old beggar the model was an old man is torn clothes. He leaned on a stick and used his hat as a begging bowel. Trevor went out on some work. Hughie saw the old man and his heart melted. He wanted to help the poor fellow. He had a pound and a few shillings only. Even then, he gave the beggar a pound and left the studio.

Hughie’s embarrassment

That night, Hughie met Trevor in a club. He asked Trevor whether he had completed his painting. Trevor replied that he had finished the painting and framed it. He also added that the old had wanted to know more details about Hughie. Hughie became angry with Trevor for telling the old man about his personal life. Surprisingly, Trevor laughed and said that the old man was one of the richest men in Europe. Hughie was shocked to hear about the status of the old man. He felt unhappy for insulting the old man by giving him a pound.

Baron’s kindness:

The next day, a messenger came to see Hughie. The messenger had come with an envelope and gave it to Hughie. The envelope had a cheque for ten thousand pounds as wedding gift for Hughie and Laura. It was a present from an old beggar, that is, Baron Hausberg. Hughie and Laura finally married. Trevor said millionaires who posed as models were rare. He also said that millionaires who were role models were even rarer.

Conclusion:

 “The Model Millionaire” reads a fairy tale. It shows that being and doing well had its reward. It also proves that appearances are deceptive.

     4. THE ADVENTURES OF THE DYING DETECTIVE  by  Arthur Canon Doyle

Introduction

Sherlock Holmes was a very famous detective and he a friend called Mr. Watson. Holmes lived in a rented house at Baker Street. One day the landlady sensed that there was some strange things happening to Holmes. She called in his friend Dr. Watson. Watson rushed to the place and found that Holmes was in his death bed. Moreover Holmes was neither eaten nor drunk anything for the past three days.

The Plan to Bring Culverton Smith

In order to find out a murderer, Holmes invited Watson to his place but Holmes ordered Watson not to come near him because the disease was so contagious. Holmes made Watson to wait outside his room till 6'oclock in the evening. After that Holmes instructed Watson to turn the gaslight on. Then he asked him to call Mr. Calverton smith of 13 lower Burke Street.On the other hand, Mr. Culverton had a bad opinion about Holmes because, Holmes had an investigation with Culverton regarding his nephew's murder case. So, when Watson called Culverton, he refused to come. But after hearing about the disease of Holmes he accepted to visit him as a visitor.

Conversation Between Holmes & Culverton Smith

Culverton met Holmes with sympathy and started his conversation. He was not awarethat Mr.Watson was standing behind the screen and overhearing their talk. As the room was half dark, smart Holmes started the topic about Culverton's murder and enquired about the sequence. The innocent Culverton came out with the truth that he himself murdered hisnephew. He explained that he used highly infectious disease as his tool to kill his nephew just the same, he sent a small ivory box contained a sharp spring infected with contagious germs of the same disease to kill Holmes also and he was very happy that both was successful.

Arrest of the Murderer

Holmes asked Culverton to turn up the gas light full, then immediately the inspector Merton and Dr Watson rushed in. It was shocking for Culverton. The Gas light was the signal. The police to Step in and Holmes ordered the police to arrest Culverton for his nephew’s murder. Watson was the witness who overheard all the conversation.

Conclusion

Holmes was not actually dying. He acted like an infected person just to bring the truth behind the murder. Holmes was not infected by the little box because he had examined all his parcels before its open, as he has enough enemies. Thus Holmes successfully overcome the plan of Culverton too. Holmes and Watson proved themselves as intelligent detectives.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

x