The Pelican Bar Summary
Karen Joy Fowler

The Pelican Bar Overview

“The Pelican Bar” is a short story by Karen Joy Fowler. It was originally published in 2009 in the literary magazine Eclipse. The story follows Norah, an unruly teenage girl who is sent by her parents to a facility supposedly designed to correct unruly behavior. However, when Norah arrives at the facility, she finds that it is actually designed to physically and psychologically torture the teenagers held captive there. The facility is run by a cruel woman called Mama Strong. In the facility, Norah must undergo a long and difficult ordeal while trying to maintain her sense of self-identity. The story explores themes of human nature, self-interest, and identity.