Anglophone Literary Studies Blog

“Shadow of Drought“ is a short story from the short story collection The bone chime song and other stories by Joanne Anderton. It is written from the perspective of a teenager “Lou”. She constantly compares her experience to a horror movie and throughout the story you can find a lot of clichés that you would expect in one.

Five teenagers, namely Jim, Nathan, and Rob, as well as Emily, and Lou, are the main protagonists of the story. Their characters are similar to the stereotypical cast of a horror movie. The loud one who is responsible for the doom that befalls them (Jim), a naïve but pretty blond girl that is into makeup (Emily), the smart and natural girl who knows something is up (Lou), the leader (Nathan), and the one who sacrifices himself to save someone else (Rob).

They live in a small town and one day come across a creature which follows and kills them one by one. At first, they think it’s a statue, but they are soon convinced otherwise. Jim, who actually touched the creature, is the first one to die.

The small town is in a time of drought. It hasn’t rained in a very long time; the animals are dying and the ground is dry. It’s hard to survive and there is not much of a future here.

The creature comes at night, kills them, and turns them into creatures themselves. They end up looking like the statue. Black and thin with their eyes gone. After Jim’s death, two creatures are seen standing in the distance, just watching, and they increase in count after every death so it seems like the teens join the creature in its endeavor after having been killed.

The town knows of this creature and everything points to the fact that they have made some kind of pact with it. The life of the teens in exchange for rain. After the second death, rain starts to fall and it doesn’t stop.

After Jim and Emily’s death, Nathan complains about their looming fates whereupon George, a guy they went to school with, tells them that they are selfish and asks who is more important; some useless kids without a future or the rest of the town. George thereby hints at the fact that they are sacrifices for the town. He also tells them that they are lucky because they just stumbled upon “it” without understanding it, and now have everybody’s respect for being a sacrifice. He seems jealous, and it appears like George knows more about the creature and its history.

Rob and Lou decide to escape town after Nathan dies. They decide to jump on the coal train that passes by every afternoon. However, the whole town is watching them, so they are followed to the train tracks and are even chased when the town realizes what they are planning. Rob helps Lou to escape but is then caught by the towns people before he can escape himself. Lou manages to escape the town but soon realizes that the creatures followed her and did not stay within the town. And with the creatures following her, so does the rain.

There are quite a few gothic elements in this short story. First of all, there’s an omen foreshadowing that something bad is going to happen. After Jim touches the statue in the beginning of the story, his hand turns black. First the teenagers think it is paint from the statue, but Jim isn’t able to wipe or wash it off. The black sticks and indicates that something is not right.

The dry landscape doesn’t appear to be particularly gothic, but the storm, the rain, and the black clouds that are forming throughout the story are. This creates an eerie and gothic environment even though the landscape itself isn’t. An ongoing theme is the deaths of the teenagers and their funerals. There are scenes at the morgue and at the graveyard.

I found it interesting how often something black is referenced. The story begins with a description of the creature. It is compared to a shadow and then Jim’s hand becomes black after touching it.

After he was killed, Jim turned completely black. The funeral clothes are black and stand in contrast to the white coffin. The coal train transports something black. The creatures are “all dark”, they kill at night and bring dark rainclouds. There is a black hearse and people in mourning clothes who are forming a funeral procession. The color black is often associated with and is used to symbolize death, evil, and misfortune. The recurring use of it helps to create the gothic atmosphere.

Another recurring thing is the railway. This can be seen as foreshadowing and it is always reminding you that an outside world exists. The group is sitting in the shade of broken train tracks; the coal train is passing the mourners on the road, and the next day the remaining teens are sitting beneath the old railway tracks again. Rob and Lou also decide to escape while sitting there. The road out of town runs along the train tracks and Lou actually gets out of town by train.

I found the short story to be very interesting, but it left me wanting to know more about the creature. Where did it come from? And what is it? What exactly is the pact the town made with it? How often does it happen? Does it only exist in this particular town or are there more? What does Patersie have to do with it? The creature was first seen on his land, and his farm somehow is still green while everything else is dried up. All these questions remain unanswered and in the end, I don’t know any more than Lou did.

by Mariam Schmitt

There is something exceedingly exciting about the prospect of reversing death, be it in the form of a person or an entire species. By artificially bringing to life a being that should no longer exist, one dares to go beyond, defying nature. Fascination lies both in the act of playing God and the idea of a creature that is somehow human though still wholly different. But no act remains without consequences; in this case the creator’s downfall from hubris seems just as significant as the rejection and loneliness such a being would be subjected to. Of course, there are countless examples to be found in literature dealing with these moral implications, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein among the most popular of all. James Bradley’s Ghost Species likewise takes the route of creation with the help of science, focusing on the revival of extinct species. Overlap between the two exists plenty, to the point of a film adaption of the former being mentioned in the latter:

^{After that she seeks out other movies, not just about cavemen but about robots and monsters and patchwork people, all the uncanny golems of the Gothic imagination. Across that winter and into the summer she watches everything she can find, looking for guidance in films: Frankenstein, Splice, Blade Runner. Every time the story is the same: the thing created is monstrous but also tragic, its desire for life a violation of the natural order. (Bradley, 178-79)}

These words are placed within the first chapter providing Eve’s point of view, fittingly creating an introduction to the way she attempts to separate her own perception of her identity from the othering constantly inflicted on her. She might be alienated from humankind as well, but even more so is she estranged from her supposed own kind: Other Neanderthals have been long extinct, and any portrayals in the world of art also fail to offer solace and understanding. There is however a sense of her striving to create her own narrative, one which after all does not seem to be that different from that of a sapient adolescent. Her relations to friends and what is generally understood to be her family are characterized by the same experiences and feelings of belonging like those of any other person. Any uncanny aspect about Eve is done away with by the novel shifting its perspective to her point of view; the chapter titled “I was a teenage Neanderthal” also inviting pop-cultural associations.

Similarly, Frankenstein’s monster also turns to other stories, which “consisted of Paradise Lost, a volume of Plutarch’s Lives, and the Sorrows of Werter” (Shelley, 93), for guidance within a society that has thus far abandoned him. He has yet acquired only limited language and social comprehension; these books, that he reads “as a true history” (Shelley, 94), accordingly function as a source of learning. This suggests that language and culture play an important role in transforming someone into a human being, whereas Ghost Species puts a focus on Eve’s experiences and the way they shape her future. Eve is granted a kind of agency which the monster does not receive even while recounting his own story. After all, in Frankenstein the telling of narratives is perpetually interwoven and epistolary, therefore denying clarity.

The artificial creation of Frankenstein’s monster can be seen as science eliminating the need for biological motherhood, though its absence is often reflected upon negatively within the novel. Paradise Lost, mentioned earlier and in the novel’s epigraph, serves as the reference point upon which the constant battle between creator and creation falls back on. Eve, her name certainly inviting similar biblical connotations, does have a mother figure, but as her life fades she must ultimately fight on her own. She brings about hope for the planet – however one in which Homo sapiens might not share a part.

Works Cited:

Bradley, James. Ghost Species. 2020. Hodder Studio, 2021.

Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. 1818. Oxford University Press, 2019.

The story Sleepless by Jay Kristoff deals with a guy named Justin. He turns out to be a serial killer and his online girlfriend is the next victim. However, in the end the hunter becomes the hunted. In the following though, I will explore the relationship between the hunter and his divided selves.

While reading the novel especially the relationship between Justin and his mother caught my eye. Over the duration of the story the reader is kept in the dark about the fate of the mother. Their interactions can be interpreted as weird, but the author wrote it in a way that you would only notice those signs on your second read-through. In the end it gets reveled that the only thing left from her is a corpse. So, I want to take a closer look at Justin’s conversation with the corpse or, more precisely, with himself, signifies.

The mother first appeared during the online chat between wolfboy_97 (Justin) and 2muchc0ff33 (Cassie). At the moment where they were about to get intimate, she interrupted the conversation. This situation repeats itself multiple times throughout the novel. The reason is that “She’s just like the others”, “She’s nothing but a tramp”, “Wicked. No good. Dirty girls”. If you think about the fact that Justin is basically telling himself at the same moment that she’s no good but also defending her, things get interesting. It gets clear that he is still indecisive about what he really wants and can’t commit to a sexual connection to Cassie. Therefore, the interruption symbolizes an escape route that hands over his responsibility. Thus, his mother is his justification to avoid the situation. In addition, we can see Justin’s doubt in his ability to form a relationship with women. If his only goal was to avoid sexual interaction, his mother’s words could be anything, they wouldn’t matter. However, she insults her untruthfulness in particular. This indicates Justin’s unsureness and hesitation. So, his doubts about committing to a relationship and trusting others surface.

Another interesting situation is when his mother asks him, if he is a good son and she tells him if he keeps this up, he is going to burn in hell. In this instance the mother symbolizes his remorse. It seems that Justin is partially aware of the crimes he committed. However, due to the fact that his mother is the one who says it and not himself, he isn’t fully admitting it. Once again, he shifts the responsibility away from himself. “She does this sometimes. Tells me to take her back to the place the county put her after the accident”. In this instant Justin’s partially awareness gets noticeable again. He knows that he shouldn’t have dug her out of the ground. But again, because he isn’t saying it on his own, he is still shifting the responsibility away. The reason being that he needs to be able to justify his actions so that he can continue his behavior.

To conclude Justin is conflicted and has commitment issues. His insecurities can be seen in the one sentence which he repeats multiple times “There’s no delete key IRL”. Justin’s Mother in “Sleepless” portrays his remorse and doubt, but also his justification. His remorse about his crimes, the doubts about commitment and trust and the justification of shifting responsibility to continue his actions.

Foreshadowing and Analysis

By Mara Geißen and Laura Himmelmann

Sleepless by Jay Kristoff, is a short Australian horror story and part of the book Slasher Girls & Monster Boys, released in 2015. The plot revolves around a man who is in a six-month chat relationship with a young girl. Leading up to the point where they will meet for the first time in real life.

The story starts off quite innocent, with chat history being written out and filling the pages. It carries an unsettling note that grows more suffocating with every passing dialogue. We as the reader follow Justin’s POV and learn that he lives alone with his mother. A woman who had an accident and has been bedbound ever since. His only escape are the daily chats with coffeegirl, her real name is not being revealed until the very end.

The Relationship to his Mother

For a few pages we are being led on by the weird atmosphere. If we pay attention, the foreshadowing is placed perfectly and sets an eerie feeling that drags on throughout the story. Justin describes his mother as sickly, her skin is tight on her bones, her eyes a pale blue, soulless almost. There are tons of scented candles placed around her bed, a mosquito net covering it so she is shielded. While it seems caring, it creates questions as well. If Justin is 17, why is his mother describes as old and fragile, unable to do anything alone?

Surely one could track it back to the apparent accident that took place. However it does not explain the number of candles and the ever-appearing perfect interruption whenever Justin is chatting. As well as her endless talks about how every girl he has been with has been terrible and that she is the only woman that should matter. It mirrors possessive behavior. What makes it weird though is, that every time we experience a conversation between them two, she does not say anything new, it is always the same.

Sentences that focus on his chats, God, and Jesus. A repetitive order that contradicts a natural, changing conversation one would have with their mother every new day. To give it an even more unsettling note, we recall the conversation Justin has with his mom, after he brought her out onto the terrace to let her watch the sunset. She does not even react to it, but cries about not wanting to be here, wanting to be gone, dead and free.

Coffeegirl

Turning to the girl Justin has been dating online for 6 months. The girl, called 2muchc0ff33_grrl in the online chat, is 16 years old and a normal teenager, upset about homework and her mother. Her name as well as the title of the story indicate the theme of insomnia. Coffeegirl drinks too much coffee because of nightmares. She opens up to Justin and explains that she has difficulties sleeping because of voices that keep telling her sad things that make her cry and get mad. Even when she is awake, she still has the feeling that voices are there.

Moreover, it is also worth mentioning that during one of their conversations, Coffeegirl and Justin talk about a case of a serial killer. She reports that belongings of five girls he murdered, were found in the serial killer’s house and that he has been missing for 12 days. Justin seems relatively uninterested in the subject and only makes statements about how many serial killers keep trophies of their victims.

The topics seem to be discussed relatively casually. Just normal chats between two teenagers talking about their problems, news and interests. But as a reader, one is aware that nothing is ever mentioned without greater meaning behind it.

The Revelation

The story initially focuses on a meeting between Coffeegirl and Justin. At their first meeting, however, Justin does not introduce himself as wolfboy_97, but pretends to be his dad. Here we discover what the reader may have already guessed. Justin is not 17 years old and not a teenager, but a grown man. During the meeting between Coffeegirl and Justin, he takes the reader back in time. He tells of his former girlfriends, Alice, who was the first and he made a mess of, Lucy, who had a bad mouth, and Sally, who woke up too early.

All the girls are not good enough, so there is only one polished bone, one silver dumbbell and one retainer left, and the ground owns the rest. To top it off, Coffeegirl is witnessing Justin talking to his mom and the guesses are being revealed as true. She has been dead for a long time, placed on the bed to keep Justin sane. By now the reader knows. Justin is the serial killer. Coffeegirl is his next victim. The conversation about the serial killer was not a coincidence. It was a foreshadowing for the reader, for us.

the underrated show that is The Elephant Princess

Imagine you are 16 years old again, what did you struggle with? School, perhaps or a crush. But can you imagine a giant elephant appears out of thin air in your backyard including its peculiar keeper? Probably not. Now imagine that exact keeper tells you you’re a princess and about to inherit the throne of the magical kingdom Manjipoor in an India long ago. This is the beginning of the Australian children’s tv show The Elephant Princess. The show is not as well known in Germany as for example H2O – just add water, this is probably because of its fairly short run. The first episode aired in 2008 and the show’s last in 2011, but it also only had 2 seasons and 52 episodes total. What makes the show worthy of being talked about is its look and the storytelling. The animations look really good for what the year 2008 and the show’s budget had to offer. The story is quite compelling for a ten-year-old. The magic and costuming make it perhaps even more pretty to look at. It even helped grow the portfolio of now Hollywood-actor Liam Hemsworth, younger brother of Thor himself Chris Hemsworth. 

So, let’s talk about it a little more in depth. The opening theme is a poppy up-beat song. Children will probably dance to it even before they have seen the first scene of the show. Alex (the main character) is mostly relatable. She struggles with growing up, school and her band, she has troubles with  guy named Marcus (played by Liam Hemsworth) whom she likes and sometimes argues with her best friend Amanda. 

It is also really nice to see some real character growth from both Alex and Kuru, the of elephant Anala. At first Alex struggles with the fact that she is supposed to free Manjipoor out of its misery and her magical abilities that come with being the princess of a magical kingdom. As the show progresses Alex becomes more and more comfortable with the idea of her inheriting the throne and starts to feel a sense of responsibility. Kuru is at first fairly sceptical of modern-day Melbourne, since Manjipoor finds itself a few centuries back in time. He also cannot understand that Alex is not overly excited about the news he broke to her and continues to call her “princess” against her will. Throughout the show however, Kuru starts to accommodate with the advances of the 21^st century and even attempts to use technology. He also relaxes when it comes to Alex, not pushing the princess title. He starts to become more of a friend rather than a babysitter. 

So, if the children around you are interested in fantasy with an Indian look definitely give it a watch. You can even find all the episodes on YouTube. 

Editors Note: This is a review of the show that optimistically reads the Indian representation. It is however completely worth taking a closer look to consider whether the show appropriates or appreciates Indian culture, and we’re always happy to hear thoughts and discussion on the subject!