The theme of responsibility might be present as well. Guilt often arises from a sense of being responsible for something bad. In the story, characters could be dealing with the consequences of their actions and learning to take responsibility, or perhaps avoiding it, which all ties into the overall theme of guilt.
One of the main themes could be remorse. The characters might experience guilt over past actions, which drives the plot forward. Maybe it's about moral transgressions and the inner turmoil that follows.
Another theme is the struggle to make amends. In a guilt short story, the character often has to deal with the guilt by trying to fix what they have done wrong. They might face internal and external obstacles in this process. For instance, they could be afraid of punishment or rejection but still feel the need to confess or compensate. The story usually shows how they navigate through these difficulties. In some cases, they succeed in making amends, while in others, they may not, but the guilt still haunts them.
One guilt short story could be about a student who cheats on an important exam. He feels extremely guilty afterwards as he realizes he has not only deceived his teacher but also himself. He constantly has this nagging feeling of guilt that won't go away, and finally decides to confess to the teacher.
Well, in 'roughing it short story', there's a theme of survival. The characters are 'roughing it' which implies they have to deal with difficulties related to food, shelter, and safety. Also, there could be a theme of friendship as they rely on each other during their tough times.
One of the main themes could be temptation. The devil often represents the source of alluring people towards wrongdoings. Another theme might be the battle between good and evil, as the presence of the devil in the story would create a conflict with the forces of good, whether it be the characters' moral compasses or a more abstract concept of goodness in the story's world.
Another theme could be family dynamics. In 'the mother short story', it may depict the relationships within a family, such as the mother's role in relation to other family members. This could include her interactions with her spouse, if there is one, and how she navigates family conflicts or joys.
One of the main themes could be power. The gun often represents power in a story. It can give a character a sense of control or dominance over others. Another theme might be danger. Guns are inherently dangerous, and this could be explored through the events in the story, like the potential for harm or death. Also, it could touch on moral issues. For example, how the character who wields the gun decides to use it - whether for good or bad can raise questions about morality.
One common theme is redemption. When a character admits their guilt, they often start on a path towards making things right, like in the story of Tom admitting to breaking the vase. Another theme is honesty. It shows that being honest about one's wrongdoings, even if it's difficult, is the right thing to do. Just like Lily in the school story who finally owned up to cheating.
The theme of secrecy also runs through many guilt short stories. For example, someone might lie about something important and then have to keep that lie a secret. This secrecy only adds to their guilt as they are constantly worried about being found out. Also, the idea of redemption is common. Characters may try to make up for their wrongdoings in some way to ease their guilt, like a person who donates money to a charity after embezzling funds from work, hoping to atone for their sin.
There was a student named Lily in a school. She was accused of cheating in an exam. At first, she denied it vehemently. However, as she thought more about it, she felt guilty. After a day of inner turmoil, she went to her teacher. 'Sir, I admit that I cheated in the exam. I saw some answers from my neighbor's paper. I know it was completely wrong and I'm ready to accept the punishment.' The teacher was glad she finally admitted her guilt and decided to give her a chance to make up for it through extra work.
Since we lack the details of the 1955 short story, we can make some educated guesses. Given Walker's oeuvre, themes of social injustice might be present. It could be about the unequal treatment of African - Americans, perhaps in the form of segregation or discrimination in employment. Another possible theme could be family, how families in the African - American community coped with the external pressures and maintained their unity. Also, the theme of self - discovery might be there, as characters often strive to find their place in a world that tries to limit them.