This week, I want to give all of our free subscribers a taste of what we do, on (some) Sundays, behind the paywall: work on classic short stories to try and understand how they work and, in the process, become better writers, readers, and thinkers.
Here’s how the process works.
I provide a pdf of the story (below).
What I recommend is that we read the story once, just for fun. Then, live with it a bit, without any particular agenda. In this phase, I’m just lightly turning my mind to the story. Was it good? Why? Where, in particular, did it move me? What expectations did it set up? How did it work with those expectations? I’m not being overtly analytical. It’s something like looking back on an experience: Did I like that? Why?
Then, read the story a second time, making whatever sort of notes you feel like making - in the margins or in a notebook. (I’ve turned off the Comments, so we can all read at our own pace over the next week, without feeling any need to rush to comment.)
Next Thursday, I’ll offer a few opening thoughts on the story. These are not intended to be authoritative (at all!), but just to start things off for us.
Then, in the Comments, we discuss.
Don’t worry about being correct - any reaction is a valid place to start. The main thing is to notice what you’re feeling as you read, and where, and then try to articulate that.
That’s where all literary criticism starts.
OK. Here’s the story. I won’t say much about it because I want you to read it with fresh eyes.
It’s by the great Russian short story writer Isaac Babel (1894-1940). This translation is by David McDuff, in this edition of the Collected Stories.
I hope you enjoy it.
