The last sentence “I don’t care if it thunders every night” of the story “Both Parties Concerned” by J.D.Salinger makes clear that the story is about love. Readers can understand why after reading the whole story.
The narration is told in the first person. The narrator tells us in a rather interesting manner (written in such a very simple language to show the social status and not very great literacy of the hero) the story of his relationship with his young wife.
Here is the link to the text of the story:
https://pete0121.tripod.com/SALINGER/Both_Parties_Concerned.htm
The story “A Duel” by Guy de Maupassant is about time after the Franco-Prussian war 1870-1871.
The war is over, returning to peaceful life, the main character a French man, and also British and Prussian officers are traveling on the train. As winners, the Prussian officer behaves impudently, humiliating French man. And suddenly he breaks down...
The ending is amazing because it was he who was able to do something real.
Here is the link to the text of the story:
https://americanliterature.com/author/guy-de-maupassant/short-story/a-duel/
The story «Zero Hour» by Ray Bradbury is about children, about their games, which at first glance seem completely harmless and meaningless.
A little girl told her parents something, but they didn’t believe her and just laughed. The girl talked about a new friend, about the future conquest of planet Earth, but the mother thought that this was just her daughter’s rich imagination, like other parents.
The story is frightening, the ending is generally predictable, but Bradbury knows how to write in such a way that you feel uneasy.
Here is the link to the text of the story:
https://americanliterature.com/author/ray-bradbury/short-story/zero-hour/
The story “The Mouse” by H. H. Munro (Saki) is a short and funny.
On the train, a mouse got under Theodoric's clothes. But he didn’t like these creatures and, realizing that he could only get rid of it from his body if he undressed, he found himself in a difficult situation.
After all, there was a lady riding in the same compartment...
Here is the link to the text of the story:
https://www.classicshorts.com/stories/mouse.html
The story «The Denunciation by Ernest Hemingway» is about the dilemma which people sometimes have in a divided society.
In a cafe, the author sees that a political opponent is sitting at the next table, moreover, a fascist who has gained so much impudence that he decided to join the Republican camp.
He has two options - to behave as if it's none of his business, especially since he is a foreigner there or to call a specific phone number.
Here is the link to the text of the story:
https://antilogicalism.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/hemingway.pdf
