Owen Marshall's short stories have many qualities which make them entertaining and , . interesting to read. The strengths in his writing include the use of familiar New Zealand childhood settings, his evocation of the painful transition from childhood to adolescence, a theme of many of his stories, and also his use of potent symbols which resonate through the stories. The stories I studied were all set in the small-town New Zealand landscape of the 1950s. Marshall …showed first 75 words of 943 total…

…showed last 75 words of 943 total…can haunt Supper Waltz for hours, represents the darkness which has overtaken Mr Wilson, the insanity from which he cannot escape. Supper Waltz's sensitivity to life means that this darkness is an ever present threat to him also. Owen Marshall has written stories that illustrate the tensions and problems of growing up. The careful detailing of the setting, the intensity of the symbols and the universality of the themes make them fine stories to read.