Fishing by Anatole France (1908)
"Fishing" is a novella written by Anatole France in 1888. The story follows a group of friends who go on a fishing trip to the countryside, where they engage in philosophical discussions and reflect on their lives. Through their conversations, France explores themes of existentialism, morality, and the human condition. The novella is known for its concise and poetic prose, which adds to the introspective and contemplative nature of the story.
By Anatole France · First published 1908 · Genre: Fiction, Satire, Historical Fiction · 511 words
First lines
JEAN set out betimes in the morning with his sister Jeanne, a fishing-pole over his shoulder and a basket on his arm. It is holiday time and the school is shut; that is why Jean goes off every day with his sister Jeanne, a rod over his shoulder and a basket on his arm, along the river bank. Jean is a Tourainer, and Jeanne a lass of Touraine. The river is Tourainer too. It runs crystal-clear between silvery sallows under a moist, mild sky. Morning and evening white mists trail over the grass of the water-meadows.' But Jean and Jeanne love the river neither for the greenery of its banks nor its clear waters that mirror the heavens. They love it for the fish in it. They stop presently at the most likely place, and Jeanne sits down under a pollard willow. Laying down his baskets, Jean unwinds his tackle. This is very primitive -- a switch, with a piece of thread and a bent pin at the end of it.
What this Textopian page supports
Fishing is listed on Textopian as a short story by Anatole France, dated 1908 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: 1908 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fiction, Satire, Historical Fiction
- Length: 511 words
- Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Fishing by Anatole France
- 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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Similar titles
- The Red Lily Volume 3 by Anatole France
- Across The Meadows by Anatole France
- Landolin by Berthold Auerbach
- The White Stone by Anatole France
- The Spooniad by Edgar Lee Masters
- A Mummers Tale by Anatole France
Genres
- Fiction — Anatole France is known for his works of fiction, thereby making it likely this book falls into the same genre
- Satire — Known for his satirical works, it's likely that this topic would be approached with the same style
- Historical Fiction — Much of France's work often falls within this genre due to its historical context and settings
Tags
French Literature · Symbolism · Naturalism · Fishing as a Metaphor · Existentialism · Meditation · Prose Poetry · Stream of Consciousness · Romanticism · Realism · Tragedy · Human Condition