Challenge 406

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1. In Kir Bulychev’s “Half a Life,” Timofei has disfiguring injuries and the tourists carelessly litter the park-like setting they enjoy. What relationship might readers see between the two anomalies?

2. In Dawn Marshallsay’s “Zero Interest”:

   1. Jerry, the protagonist, is depicted as severely handicapped. How might his disability be ironically symbolic in terms of the setting and the action that Jerry observes? Where does the story take place?

   2. In a time of zero interest rates and quantitative easing:
      

   3. Bonus question: What is the difference between Dawn Marshallsay’s Jerry and Bertrand Cayzac’s Floozman?

3. In Filip Šimunović’s “Erika’s Story”:

   1. Why is the title “Erika’s Story”? Aren’t there equally or more interesting stories about Nina, Ulises and the Professor, among others?
   2. Erika has strong opinions about everyone. What does the reader learn about Erika?
   3. What kind of narrator is Erika? Trustworthy? Unreliable? Ironic?

4. In Kirsten Campbell’s “Dark Matters,” what does Dinn Russ Jarrin’s appreciation of little David Fielder say about the alien’s supposed agreement with the government to keep the trans-dimensional ship a secret?

5. In Gloria F. Watts’ “The Attic,” when does the woman go up to the attic for the second time? What image describing her husband’s breathing might explain why she goes there?

Responses welcome!

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