A Child's Dinner Party by Anatole France
"A Child's Dinner Party" is a novella written by Anatole France in 1893. The story follows a group of children who are invited to a dinner party hosted by their friend, a wealthy and eccentric old man. As the children arrive and enjoy the meal, they begin to notice strange occurrences happening around them, including the disappearance of food and objects, and the appearance of ghostly apparitions. As the night progresses, the children become increasingly frightened and confused, unsure of what is real and what is not. The story builds towards a climactic ending, as the children must confront the true nature of the dinner party and the mysterious forces that are at work.
By Anatole France · First published 1893 · Genre: Children's literature, Drama, Humor · 488 words
First lines
WHAT fun it is playing at dinner parties! You can have a very plain dinner or a very elaborate one, just as you like. You can manage it with nothing at all. Only you have to pretend a great deal then.
Therese and her little sister Pauline have asked Pierre and Marthe to a dinner in the country. Proper invitations have been issued, and they have been talking about it for days. Mamma has given her two little girls good advice -- and good things to eat, too. There will be nougat and sweet cakes, and a chocolate cream. The table will be laid in the arbour.
What this Textopian page supports
A Child's Dinner Party is listed on Textopian as a short story by Anatole France, dated 1893 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Anatole France
- Date: 1893 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Children's literature, Drama, Humor, Fiction
- Length: 488 words
- Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Child's Dinner Party by Anatole France
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
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Genres
- Children's literature — The title implies that the plot or narrative revolves around a child or children's activities, hence the genre.
- Drama — A dinner party can be a setting for meaningful dialogue, suggesting a dramatic or interpersonal focus to the narrative.
- Humor — A child's perspective of a dinner party can be a source of comedy or humorous misunderstandings, indicating a potential humorous element in the story.
- Fiction — The plot is likely imagined or constructed, thereby classifying it as fiction.
Tags
French Literature · Coming of Age · Social Commentary · Children's Fiction · Dinner Party · Manners · Etiquette · Narrative · Fable · Allegory · Symbolism · Irony