Perspectives

Literary period

The short story “Hall of Small Mammals” by Thomas Pierce has several elements of modernist literature. One of them is the pessimist tone, as evidenced by the use of many negative words and the anticlimactic nature of the story – the failure to reach the intended destination referenced in the title, and the failure of the main character to win Val’s approval. The abrupt ending and the narrator’s regretful tone further highlights the pessimistic nature of the story. Another element is the social isolation of the characters, as shown here by the narrator’s inability to maintain lasting and significant relationships with the people in his life.

The amount of symbols used in the story are also an indication of the fact that the story is an example of modernist literature. At the same t...