The chaser by John Collier:

John Henry Noyes Collier (3 May 1901 – 6 April 1980) was a British-born author and screenplay writer best known for his short stories, many of which appeared in The New Yorker from the 1930s to the 1950s like the chaser and many others short novels.

Plot:

The story is about Alan Austen and an old man. Alan went to Pell Street the moved up stairs. Finally, he found what he was looking for. The old man was sitting on the rocking chair, reading the newspaper. Alan gave him his card he received .The man knew who he was saying :<< sit down, Mr. Austen>> politely. The old men introduce to him what is this liquid cleanser as he says: >>call it a glove- cleaner if you like>>.Alan was astonished about everything the old man told him. Poison is expensive, that the young man can’t afford it: <<for one teaspoon, which is sufficient, I ask five thousand dollars >>.Austen asks about the love poison so he wins his love Diana back. The men told him that liquid will make his love (Diana) falls madly in love with him and she will give all her time and attention.The teenager believed every word the old man ,leaving the old one with these final words on his lips: <<thank you>>.

The protagonist character:

Alan: Shy because he is girlfriend centered, naïve and flexible/adaptable: he believes every word the man says, good listener, polite: he is good with words, courage (he wasn’t scared to meet the man).

The old man: Helpful because he help everyone, money centered: he’s greedy (a teaspoon for five thousand dollars, mysterious, liar, charismatic that the boy trusted his words.

The theme:

People shouldn’t trust anybody easily because it could affect us and putting us in trouble, so we have to be careful from whom we take advice. To justify, my point of view is that there is no ending to the story. The novelist let us think about what gone happen to Diana because her lover’s naivety.

Settings:

The neighborhood of the Pell Street, the old man’s scary house.

Tone:

The tone is calm and quite because it’s a balance between the boys curiosity and naivety and the old man mysterious and hidden evilness. The story has the same objective as Snow white and the seven dwarfs, little red riding hood. Their naivety makes them believe the bad people, the ones who deserve our mistrust. As they I always believe that people who ever they are in their heart they are good but it’s only the world make people put ugly masks, so they get what they want from you.

 

Diamond Guitar by Truman Capote:

Truman Capote was an American author, many of whose short stories, novels, plays, and nonfiction are recognized literary classics, including the novella Breakfast at Tiffany's (1958) and the true crime novel In Cold Blood (1966), which he labeled a "nonfiction novel."

Plot:

A Diamond Guitar is about a man named Mr. Schaeffer and his relationship with a fellow inmate, Tico Feo. It starts off with Mr. Schaeffer, a man who lives in a prison farm, serving a life sentence. He later starts to be friend a fellow inmate by the name of Tico Feo. Tico has his diamond guitar which he plays for the fellow inmates. Later in the story, it is mentioned that both Tico Feo and Mr. Schaeffer are lovers. One night, Tico convinces Mr. Schaeffer to escape from prision and the two men try to escape, but only Tico succeeds and Mr. Schaeffer hurts his legs. At the end, Mr. Schaeffer is lying down on his bed and touches Tico’s guitar, which is under the bed.

The protagonist character:

Mr. Schaeffer: a fifty year old man who is one of the few literate prisoners, as such he is looked up to and feared by other prisoners. He has graying red hair and is lean in build. He is a lone some :<< Schaeffer himself does not receive mail, not even at Christmas; he seems to have no friends beyond the prison, and he has none there-that is no particular friend. >>he’s talented: <<His dolls are carved in separate  sections, then put together with bits of spring wire ;the arms and legs move, the head rolls.>> and shy:<<Mr. Schaeffer was suddenly shy.>>

Tico Feo: a lively eighteen year old man from Cuba, who has blonde hair and blue eyes. At times he is lazy, and known for being a terrible liar. <<He had a fun loving face, nimble, clever; and looking at him, Mr. Schaeffer thought of holidays and good times. >>He’s lovely: <<most of the men did feel a love for him. >>

I noticed the undercurrent of homosexuality in two main characters relationship :<<Except they did not combine their bodies or think to do so ,thought  such things were not unknown at the farm ,they were s lovers.>>

Setting:

A prison farm.

Theme:

Friendship, forgiving others. You don’t have to trust people easily.