Devoted Women by Alice Duer Miller
"Devoted Women" is a collection of short stories that explore the complexities and contradictions of women's lives in the early 20th century. Through a series of vivid and insightful portraits, Miller delves into the inner worlds of her characters, revealing their deepest desires, fears, and motivations. From the lonely wife who finds solace in her secret garden to the aspiring actress who must choose between her art and her family obligations, these stories offer a nuanced and compassionate portrayal of women's experiences during this time period.
By Alice Duer Miller · First published 1920 · Genre: Feminist Literature, Historical Fiction, Drama · 8,145 words
First lines
Nan felt a sense of drama as she rang the bell of her friend's house.
The houses in the row were all exactly alike, built of a new small dark-red brick, and each was set on a little square of new turf, as smooth and neat as an emerald-green handkerchief. To make matters harder, the house numbers were not honest numerals, but loops of silver ribbon festooned above the front door bell, so that Nan had almost mistaken the five she was looking for for the three next door.
What this Textopian page supports
Devoted Women is listed on Textopian as a short story by Alice Duer Miller, dated 1920 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Alice Duer Miller
- Date: 1920 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Feminist Literature, Historical Fiction, Drama, Social Commentary
- Length: 8,145 words
- Structure: 1 section, 175 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Devoted Women by Alice Duer Miller
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Devoted Women?
- How does this short story by Alice Duer Miller fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Feminist Literature first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Feminist Literature — The book highlights the struggles and experiences of women, making it a key work of feminist literature.
- Historical Fiction — The book is set in the past, exemplifying key characteristics of the historical fiction genre.
- Drama — The narrative is filled with dramatic events and situations that enthrall the readers, associating it with the drama genre.
- Social Commentary — The book not only tells individual stories, but also reflects on social issues of the time, grounding it in social commentary.
Tags
Romance · Feminism · Gender roles · Marriage · Women's rights · Social commentary · Literary fiction · Historical fiction · American literature · Turn-of-the-century · New York City · Upper class