Today, we will read Sticks by George Saunders. It’s a flash fiction of 392 words.
You can read the short story online here.
About the Author
George Saunders is the award-winning author of eleven books. His book, Lincoln in the Bardo, won the 2017 Man Booker Prize for best work of fiction in English. He was named one of the world’s 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2013. You can read his stories that have appeared regularly in The New Yorker since 1992. The story Sticks that we will read and discuss today is from his award-winning short story collection ‘Tenth of December.’
Sticks By George Saunders Analysis
Sticks by George Saunders literally sticks out from the crowd of fluffy-light flash fiction. There is no way one can read and not be blown away by the impact of this tiny tale as you ponder over its layers.
George Saunders does wonders with his short story Sticks, laden with subtext, imagery, and metaphors.
We are introduced to an imperfect father by his adult son in this story—a father with several quirks, including an obsession with a metal pole.
We see his happiness manifest during the Holidays in the first paragraph and get the hint when the son says it was his father’s only concession to glee.
As the story unfolds quickly, we get a glimpse into the dysfunctional family. Questions run in one’s mind now.
A control-freak father with anger issues. Was he abusive as well?
“We left home, married, had children of our own, found the seeds of meanness blooming also within us.”
The son is conscious that his father may have negatively influenced him on a subconscious level. As a reader, you feel sick to the stomach that this vicious cycle might never end in the family. You are now aware of two unlikeable characters in the story.
But then, you see the father slowly slip into oblivion when he lives in an empty nest. The pole, which was earlier decked up in all gaiety during the Holidays, starts taking complex, sinister, and even morose forms.
We see the father’s human side when he expresses his feelings through the metal pole towards the end of the story. We see displays of love, guilt, and regret via the pole.
There are now more questions running in one’s head.
Did the father suffer from any mental illnesses?
Was his deteriorating mental health an excuse for his bad behaviour, and perhaps, abuse?
The story ends on a sombre note, with the father’s death and disposal of the metal pole on garbage day.
To me, the pole is a metaphor for life.
“For dust thou art and unto dust shalt thou return.” – Genesis 3:19
It’s a mere two-paragraph story. But what makes the Sticks unforgettable for me is how it packs a punch in a few words.
What are your thoughts on Sticks by George Saunders?
short stories are really trickier to write. I loved your analysis. reminds me of the one story i had read during school, about old man and sparrows. don’t remember the title though
Thank you so much, Ruchi for stopping by, reading and commenting. Let me search for that story now. 🙂
Yes, the story is a little somber and leaves a nagging feeling in our minds. But your analysis is very good. I liked it better than the flash fiction actually.😍
Hahaha! Thank you so much, dear! The analysis is good because the story is so. Keep reading. 🙂
Loved the story sombre yet deep and your analysis too
Deepika Sharma
Thank you so much, Deepika! Good to hear you liked the story and the analysis too. Keep reading! 🙂
Poignant for sure! Great analysis by you. Looking forward to reading more flash fiction throughout the month.
Thank you so much, Shalini! Glad to hear that. I’m looking forward to reading healthy and tasty recipes in your blog, and trying them. #BlogchatterA2Z 🙂
Well this story does get you thinking. I personally feel the father was just quirky and the pole was his way of engaging with the world…. I didn’t think he was mean frankly….
Doesn’t it? The son mentions the meanness is now part of him too. But we see a flawed human being in the father. Filled with remorse towards the end. He had an issue with emotional intimacy with his family. I don’t think he was a bad man. A bad father perhaps…or husband not sure. But he was self-aware towards the end. Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts. Keep stopping by! 🙂
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Loved the analysis and the story especially towards the end painfully tugs our heart. Was he really a bad man? How do we define bad?
We would never know the story of the father, and his POV. But it’s a story that reminds us that all humans are essentially flawed. In that case as you said, how does one define bad? 🙂
Agree with you, Tina.
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[…] started with Sticks by George Saunders that makes you explore the complexity of the human psyche and empathize with its […]
I am actually leading a discussion lesson in school about that short story and your analysis really helped me. Thank you and well done!
Hi Tim! It’s lovely to hear that my story analysis was resourceful for you. Best wishes for the discussion. 🙂