Analysis Of Number Three By Anna Metcalfe

In this world there are individuals who will never understand how lucky and privileged they are. This can sometimes end with them demolishing things for other individuals without contemplat-ing it. They will often ruin it for them more under privileged than themselves. This is what hap-pens in the short story "Number Three" by Anna Metcalfe where an, poorly payed, Chinese teacher is appointed “International Hostess” for an English teacher named Mr. James from Eng-land. He is hired to educate at a public middle school named "Number Three". Here he requests a higher pay, free cleaning and more holiday, which winds up in the firing of Miss Coral.
The main them of the short story is the collide between different cultures, more specific the Chi-nese and western culture. When Miss Coral picks Mr. James up from the airport and they drive back to the city in a taxi, this different is already evident. When he sleeps in the taxi, she prepares her welcome speech on the driver. This behavior seems unusual to Miss Coral: “In the
James is complicated because the both represent very different cultures. The professional and tolerant Miss Coral and the rude and careless Mr. James. The relationship is professional throughout the story even though there are some points where Mr. James shows affection toward Miss Coral: “’Look,’ Mr. James says again, studying her face with intent. Miss Coral notices that his eyes rest a moment on her lips” (ll. 100-101). This show that he is somewhat physically attracted to Miss Coral. Miss Coral also shows some affection for Mr. James: “When he gets back to England, Mr. James sends her an email returning her thanks. She opens it from the office computer. He will never forget such a pretty little face, he says, and Miss Coral puts her hands to her cheeks to mask the flush she feels rising as she reads” (ll. 137-140). Nevertheless, Mr. James still sends a complaint the ultimately costs Miss Coral her