Letters by Alice Meynell (1894)

Name: Letters
Author: Alice Meynell

The novel explores themes of love, loss, and identity through a series of letters exchanged between two individuals. The narrative is presented in an epistolary format, where the reader is privy to the innermost thoughts and feelings of the characters. The story revolves around a complex web of relationships, with each letter revealing a new layer of depth and emotion. Through their correspondence, the characters grapple with existential questions about the nature of reality, morality, and human connection. As the letters unfold, the reader is drawn into a world of introspection and self-discovery, where the boundaries between truth and fiction are blurred. The novel raises important questions about the power of language to shape our understanding of ourselves and others.

By Alice Meynell · First published 1894 · Genre: Epistolary, Non-fiction, Biography · 618 words

First lines

The letter exacted from a child is usually a letter of thanks; somebody has sent him a box of chocolates. The thanks tend to stiffen a child's style; but in any case a letter is the occasion of a sudden self-consciousness, newer to a child than his elders know. They speak prose and know it. But a young child possesses his words by a different tenure; he is not aware of the spelt and written aspect of the things he says every day; he does not dwell upon the sound of them. He is so little taken by the kind and character of any word that he catches the first that comes at random. A little child to whom a peach was first revealed, whispered to his mother, "I like that kind of turnip." Compelled to write a letter, the child finds the word of daily life suddenly a stranger.

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Letters is listed on Textopian as a short story by Alice Meynell, dated 1894 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 Meynell
Date: 1894 CE
Language: English
Genres: Epistolary, Non-fiction, Biography, History, Classic literature
Length: 618 words
Structure: 1 section, 5 paragraphs
Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)

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Genres

Epistolary — Given that the title is 'Letters', it can be inferred that the main narrative technique used is epistolary writing - presented as a collection of documents, usually letters, although diary entries, newspaper clippings, and other documents are sometimes used.
Non-fiction — Alice Meynell is largely known for her poetry and essay writing. Therefore, it can be extrapolated that 'Letters' features personal experiences and other non-fiction elements.
Biography — If these letters written by Alice Meynell contain autobiographical content that tells her life story or specific aspects of it, it can be classified as a biography.
History — If the book consists of letters written by Alice Meynell that touch on topics or events relevant to a particular period in history, it could be said to belong to the history genre.