Meg Mundell's short story "Small Change" is about a woman named Kate Moore who decides to undergo a rejuvenation procedure to look younger and more attractive. The story explores themes of feminism, psychoanalysis, and Marxism. Kate believes that achieving a more youthful appearance will help her career advancement and find a romantic partner. She struggles with feelings of inferiority about her looks and sees beauty as a way to gain social status and power in a capitalist society that values physical attractiveness. In the end, Kate chooses to have the rejuvenation treatment, seeing it as an investment in her future opportunities.

1. “Small Change”
By
Meg Mundell

2. Information on Author
(Meg Mundell)

3. Biography
Meg Mundell is a New Zealand-born
journalist, PhD researcher and author
living in Melbourne, Australia.
Academic Career
B.A in Psychology, Philosophy.
Diploma in Professional Writing.
M.A in Creative Writing.

4. Literary Career
1st Novel BLACK GLASS (Scribe , 2011)
Short Story Collection “THINGS I DID FOR
MONEY” (Scribe) is out in February 2013
“Small Change” (short Story)

5. Characters of the Story
1. Kate Moore (Protagonist)
2. Dr. Elaine Paige ( Rejuvenation
Specialist)
3. Jack (Perhaps Medical attendant)
4. Aden (Supposed Lover of Kate)

6. Major Themes
1. Feminism
2. Psychoanalysis
3. Marxism

7. Feminism
1. Individual Identity:
Kate believes like other modern women that she won’t achieve
what she wants in life as the identity of an attractive woman. So
she wants her individual identity as an attractive lady.
2. Gender Role Stereotype:
In male dominant society women are more expected to be
attractive or care more about looks than men. Moreover women are
consider as a “Commodity” in this modern era so society wants
more attractive presentation of this commodity.
3. Social Identity:
For the survival of her social status Kate wants to have
“Rejuvenation Process”. Furthermore one of Kate’s reason for
getting procedure is her “Promotion” at work.
4. Writer & all the key characters are female. It shows the writer’s
inclination towards feminism.
5. Portrayal of Women: Meg Mundell has portrayed the status of
women in modern society through this story.

8. Psychoanalytical Lens
Pleasure Principle:
Kate strives to feel good about herself. Through psychoanalytical analysis
it’s very clear that she is going to do all this for her self contentment.
ID:
According to this model of the psyche, the id is the set of uncoordinated
instinctual trends; the super-ego plays the critical and moralizing role; and
the ego is the organized, realistic part that mediates between the desires
of the id and the super-ego.
Kate desires to be beautiful and a male suitor.
Subconscious :
Jack manipulates Kat’s subconscious based on her ID. Millisecond image of
a handsome man “while waiting for her sign the contract”.
The philosophy has been embedded in her mind that “beauty is a magnet
for good fortune” .
Inferiority Complex:
there is a deep inferiority complex in Kate’s
behavior regarding her bodily appearance.

9. Marxist Lens
Class consciousness:
Kate recognizes that she is a worker (Proletariat) but necessarily the most
privileged she could be after having “Rejuvenation” as she has read the
research “Good looking People earn more, court better opportunities,
and command high quality suitors”.
Alienation:
Kate feels herself like an outsider in front of beautiful people. Kate feels
herself the member of another community.
Hegemony (Supremacy) :
Kate considers beauty as the real power. She knows the status and value of
good looking people in society. So she wants to use this power tool to
uplift her status.
Bourgeoisie Concepts: Capitalist mindset has been presented by Medico to
persuade Kate for their own financial remuneration.
“You can pay by Installments, but its really an investment”.
“A way to advance your interests in a competitive market.”
At the end of the story “Jack breathes a sigh of relief as she (Kate) picks
up the pen: this month’s rent is in the bag”.

10. “Small Change” is just all about

11. References
1.http://prezi.com/qpr0dk28g2wt/?ut
m_campaign=share&utm_medium=co
py&rc=ex0share
Short Story “Small Change”
by Meg Mundell.

12. Prepared By
Muhammad Aqeel Hayder
Roll No 21
With the collaboration of whole Class