Short Stories

Mothers Help by Ruth Rendell Pg. 62

No Place to Park by Alexander McCall Smith Pg. 88

The Teddy-bears’ Picnic by William Trevor Pg. 103

The Rough Crossing by F Scott Fitzgerald Pg. 124

1. Mothers Help

2.
Sandra Joya Rodríguez
3. Llengua Anglesa II. Group
1
4.
5.
6. ruthless and brutal, he
even got into the habit of
curling back his upper lip to
show his
7. white teeth and red gums.
8. Moreover, the whole
story gives the reader the
 impression that Ivan is a
cold-blooded
9. man, whose only
motive is to be happy no
matter the cost. So when
his first wife
10. Charlotte, was suspicious
about he having an affair,
he, without hesitation,
murdered her
11. and made Nell promise
she would keep the secret
and stick to the version they
gave the
12. authorities. The years
passed, and when Daniel
 asked how his mother died,
Nell wanted
13. to tell him the truth. She
spoke to Ivan about telling
Daniel what really
happened, but
14. Ivan, maybe afraid of the
consequences, didn’t agree
so he and Nell had a fight.
And at
15. the party when Ivan said
that words Nell realized she
could be next.
16.
17. In conclusion, the readers
can only suppose this is the
 intention of Ivan’s story at
the party
18. although it’s not possible
to know for sure as the
narrator doesn’t enter his
thoughts but
19. as the story develops it’s
easy to imagine what will be
Ivan’s next move. In
addition, the
20. ending is pretty open as
the author lets the readers
themselves to create their
own final
21. scene as they interpret the
characters and situations.
22.
Sandra Joya Rodríguez
23. Llengua Anglesa II. Group
1
24.
25.
26. ruthless and brutal, he
even got into the habit of
curling back his upper lip to
show his
27. white teeth and red gums.
28. Moreover, the whole
story gives the reader the
impression that Ivan is a
cold-blooded
29. man, whose only
motive is to be happy no
 matter the cost. So when
his first wife
30. Charlotte, was suspicious
about he having an affair,
he, without hesitation,
murdered her
31. and made Nell promise
she would keep the secret
and stick to the version they
gave the
32. authorities. The years
passed, and when Daniel
asked how his mother died,
Nell wanted
33. to tell him the truth. She
spoke to Ivan about telling
 Daniel what really
happened, but
34. Ivan, maybe afraid of the
consequences, didn’t agree
so he and Nell had a fight.
And at
35. the party when Ivan said
that words Nell realized she
could be next.
36.
37. In conclusion, the readers
can only suppose this is the
intention of Ivan’s story at
the party
38. although it’s not possible
to know for sure as the
 narrator doesn’t enter his
thoughts but
39. as the story develops it’s
easy to imagine what will be
Ivan’s next move. In
addition, the
40. ending is pretty open as
the author lets the readers
themselves to create their
own final
41. scene as they interpret the
characters and situations.
42.
Sandra Joya Rodríguez
43. Llengua Anglesa II. Group
1
44.
45.
46. ruthless and brutal, he
even got into the habit of
curling back his upper lip to
show his
47. white teeth and red gums.
48. Moreover, the whole
story gives the reader the
impression that Ivan is a
cold-blooded
49. man, whose only
motive is to be happy no
matter the cost. So when
his first wife
50. Charlotte, was suspicious
about he having an affair,
 he, without hesitation,
murdered her
51. and made Nell promise
she would keep the secret
and stick to the version they
gave the
52. authorities. The years
passed, and when Daniel
asked how his mother died,
Nell wanted
53. to tell him the truth. She
spoke to Ivan about telling
Daniel what really
happened, but
54. Ivan, maybe afraid of the
consequences, didn’t agree
 so he and Nell had a fight.
And at
55. the party when Ivan said
that words Nell realized she
could be next.
56.
57. In conclusion, the readers
can only suppose this is the
intention of Ivan’s story at
the party
58. although it’s not possible
to know for sure as the
narrator doesn’t enter his
thoughts but
59. as the story develops it’s
easy to imagine what will be
 Ivan’s next move. In
addition, the
60. ending is pretty open as
the author lets the readers
themselves to create their
own final
61. scene as they interpret the
characters and situations.
62.
Sandra Joya Rodríguez
63. Llengua Anglesa II. Group
1
64.
65.
66. ruthless and brutal, he
even got into the habit of
 curling back his upper lip to
show his
67. white teeth and red gums.
68. Moreover, the whole
story gives the reader the
impression that Ivan is a
cold-blooded
69. man, whose only
motive is to be happy no
matter the cost. So when
his first wife
70. Charlotte, was suspicious
about he having an affair,
he, without hesitation,
murdered her
71. and made Nell promise
she would keep the secret
and stick to the version they
gave the
72. authorities. The years
passed, and when Daniel
asked how his mother died,
Nell wanted
73. to tell him the truth. She
spoke to Ivan about telling
Daniel what really
happened, but
74. Ivan, maybe afraid of the
consequences, didn’t agree
so he and Nell had a fight.
And at
75. the party when Ivan said
that words Nell realized she
could be next.
76.
77. In conclusion, the readers
can only suppose this is the
intention of Ivan’s story at
the party
78. although it’s not possible
to know for sure as the
narrator doesn’t enter his
thoughts but
79. as the story develops it’s
easy to imagine what will be
Ivan’s next move. In
addition, the
 80. ending is pretty open as
the author lets the readers
themselves to create their
own final
81. scene as they interpret the
characters and situations.
What would you expect from someone who kills his wife and blames his three-year old son? It is just
such a man, Ivan, who Ruth Rendell portrays in her story Mother’s Help. The author tells the story of
how Ivan murdered his first wife Charlotte and blamed his son Daniel and years later, after arguing
with his second wife insinuates, she will suffer the same fate. To analyse Ivan’s words and acts will
lead us to understand the twisted end.

In the last two paragraphs the author repeats consciously the words “listen” and “stop”. The aim of
repeating these two words is to emphasize the atmosphere of silence and expectation while Ivan
was telling that incredible story of how her two-year old daughter locked up Nell in a cupboard and
she almost died if it wasn’t for his son Daniel. As for Nell, she was handing around the guests some
things to eat when she stopped to listen what his husband was talking about. As she was listening
the story, his words took on a very different meaning as she remembered that years ago Ivan had
told some people how his son Daniel had driven the car and fortunately, he hurt anyone. But later
on, he used the same story to get away with his first wife’s murder. So, Nell screamed in fear,
frightened of what would Ivan do to her.

Throughout the book Ivan is described as a brigand or pirate or wolf. This compare make the readers
suppose Ivan looked fierce and strong, like the patriarch of the family, who rules at home. Nell first
fall in love with him for his appearance, but as the years went by, this pirate-like look turned into a
more wolfish one. As Ivan got older, he became more ruthless and brutal, he even got into the habit
of curling back his upper lip to show his white teeth and red gums.

Moreover, the whole story gives the reader the impression that Ivan is a cold-blooded man, whose
only motive is to be happy no matter the cost. So, when his first wife Charlotte, was suspicious about
he having an affair, he, without hesitation, murdered her and made Nell promise she would keep the
secret and stick to the version they gave the authorities. The years passed, and when Daniel asked
how his mother died, Nell wanted to tell him the truth. She spoke to Ivan about telling Daniel what
really happened, but Ivan, maybe afraid of the consequences, didn’t agree so he and Nell had a fight.
And at the party when Ivan said that words Nell realized she could be next.

In conclusion, the readers can only suppose this is the intention of Ivan’s story at the party although
it’s not possible to know for sure as the narrator doesn’t enter his thoughts but as the story develops
it’s easy to imagine what will be Ivan’s next move. In addition, the ending is pretty open as the
author lets the readers themselves to create their own final scene as they interpret the characters
and situations.

2. No Place to Park

3. The Teddy-bears’ Picnic

The

4. The Rough Crossing

The story “The Rough Crossing” by F. Scott Fitzgerald opens with a descriptive introduction of the
American piers in the night, which are compared to midway points or crossing places. The world of
the ship is described as a separate world, within which “one is no longer so sure of anything.”
Aboard the ship are Mr. and Mrs. Adrian Smith. Adrian is thirty-one and a somewhat famous
playwright; his wife, Eva, is twenty-six. As they lean on the rail of the deck, Adrian pronounces
themselves, their children, and the children’s nurse escapees from all the people who want to take
his wife away from him—because they know he does not deserve her. His words please Eva, and she
comments that she prefers this ship to the bigger ones they travelled on during their honeymoon
seven years ago.

The couple notice a girl who seems familiar to Adrian. She is barely eighteen years old and is dark-
haired and beautiful. Sensing her husband’s attention wandering, Eva asks him to reassure her about
the good time they will have during their one-year stay in Paris. She mentions the pearls he bought
for her birthday and claims she will never be mean to him again. As he replies, she notices he is
already taken by the adventure of the voyage.

As the stewards announce imminent departure, a young man arrives to board the ship at the last
minute. The ship departs, and the omniscient narrator informs readers that a hurricane approaches
and that this liner will be caught in the storm two days from now.

Two days later, Adrian and Eva visit the ship’s smoking room for the first time, even though they did
not originally plan to do so. The bar is full, and people are engaged in numerous activities. There is a
sense of nervous energy peculiar to being in the middle of an ocean with not enough to do.

Adrian notices the young girl he saw before and is again taken by her beauty. He and Eva have
discovered that she must be Miss Elizabeth D’Amido, and Adrian has also since heard her called
Betsy in passing. She is in a group of young people, among whom is the young man who almost
missed the ride. His name is Butterworth.

One of the young men approaches the couple, professing admiration for Adrian and his work and
asking if they would like to join the group and participate in the deck-tennis tournament. Adrian
agrees but insists the young people join their table, even though it is smaller. The young people
arrive, and soon Miss D’Amido finds a way to sit next to Adrian. She states boldly yet respectfully
that she has been in love with him since she first saw him at the performance of one of his plays.
This makes Adrian feel special. Eva, on the other hand, is not enjoying herself—she fails to see why
one needs to meet new people all the time.

After a half-hour, she leaves to check on children and, coming into her cabin, finds a steward sitting
on her bed. She reacts angrily, believing him to be suffering from seasickness. As the steward is
being removed, Eva starts to feel unwell herself, blaming it on the sick man. Adrian comes in later
and tells her he will be playing doubles with Miss D’Amido, which hurts Eva, who feels Adrian should
have asked her to play. He claims the thought never occurred to him, even though his expression
shows guilt. He soon leaves Eva on her own.

The next morning the sea seems calmer, and Eva feels well enough to come out and observe the
match, alongside many other prostrate passengers. Miss D’Amido is elegant and plays well while
being filmed by other passengers. Butterworth informs Eva that the steward she saw in her cabin is
being operated on for appendicitis and that due to the storm coming, the ship’s party will be held
that evening.

Adrian and Betsy win the match and Adrian goes off to celebrate, somewhat apologetically leaving
Eva alone on the boat deck but sending her a cocktail. She spends the time imagining what lies
ahead for them—a villa in Brittany and the children learning to speak French.