A Sense of Belonging | Oxford University Press Australia

A Sense of Belonging, published by Oxford University Press Australia first in 1989, is a collection of short stories meant for English classes to guide students how to read short stories critically and write short prose.

Questions after each short stories guided students to think more deeply about the five elements of writing: plot, characterization, theme, setting and style.  Techniques used by each writer were also introduced.

18 short stories written in English yet set in different countries were presented in this book, of which, a few stood out for me.

Samphire by Patrick O'Brian

Many years ago, when I first read this, I had somehow mis-read samphire as sapphire, and was totally puzzled that sapphires grew at the edges of cliffs.  Yet I felt the same feeling for Molly after re-reading this short story.  How is she able to tolerate such as obnoxious man for her husband.  I hope she has a job or an inheritance and is able to provide for herself financially and not be dependent on her husband. 

A Sense of Belonging by Witi Ihimaera

In some cities or countries where immigration policies are relatively liberal, immigrants might often be questioned on their sense of belonging or loyalty.  Yet this short story presents the sense of belonging from another perspective - that of an indigenous person questioning if she belonged in her company of mostly white colleagues.  It might be a sense of insecurity that Pari had, perhaps something that minorities often experience micro-aggression yet the majority is unaware of.  Still the short story had a very warm ending when the white Mr Morley stood up to a bullying white customer who slighted Pari and closed the customer's account.  I think it took Mr Morley great integrity to do what he did too, given that many banks would have bent over backwards in their mission to ensure that customers are always right.

The Limits of Trooghaft by Desmond Steward

This is a very long short story, and everytime I read it, different themes jump out at me, yet the premise of the story is consistantly horrifying.  Animal rights is quite an obvious theme, yet I sometimes detect a hint of Marxism sometimes.

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

This is a rather famous short story, and I recall having read it in another publication too.  It is always heart-wrenching to read how Charlie gained not only intelligence but also recognition of how he was perceived by others before his operation.  Retaining some of his memories when he became intelligent made it painful for Charlie to stay on in the factory, even though his fellow colleagues have now come to protect him against bullying by new colleagues.  I suppose the kind of being unable to revert to before applies to people who became wealthy and could no longer go back to living in simpler times when they lose their wealth.