The Red Egg to Samuel Pozzi
The Red Egg to Samuel Pozzi is a novella written by Anatole France, first published in 1892. The story follows the journey of an egg as it passes through various owners and experiences different situations, ultimately leading to its discovery by a famous surgeon named Pozzi. Along the way, the egg encounters various characters, including a group of peasants who mistake it for a rare and valuable artifact, and a wealthy collector who purchases it but ultimately loses it. Throughout the novella, France explores themes of identity, class, and the human condition, using the egg as a symbol of the fragility and impermanence of life.
By Anatole France · First published 1892 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Drama, Literary Fiction · 3,702 words
First lines
Dr. N placed his coffee-cup on the mantelpiece, threw his cigar into the fire, and said to me: "My dear friend, you recently told me of the strange suicide of a woman tortured by terror and remorse. Her nature was fine and she was exquisitely cultivated. Being suspected of complicity in a crime of which she had been the silent witness, in despair at her own irreparable cowardice, she was haunted by a perpetual nightmare in which her husband appeared to her dead and decomposing and pointing her out with his finger to the inquisitive magistrates. She was the victim of her own morbid imagination. In this condition an insignificant and casual circumstane decided her fate.
What this Textopian page supports
The Red Egg to Samuel Pozzi is listed on Textopian as a novella by Anatole France, dated 1892 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novella
- Author: Anatole France
- Date: 1892 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Historical Fiction, Drama, Literary Fiction
- Length: 3,702 words
- Structure: 1 section, 56 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Red Egg to Samuel Pozzi by Anatole France
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Red Egg to Samuel Pozzi?
- How does this novella by Anatole France fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Historical Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Crime Of Sylvestre Bonnard by Anatole France
- The Red Lily Volume 3 by Anatole France
- The Amethyst Ring by Anatole France
- The Countess Of Charny by Alexandre Dumas
- Leonora Of Toledo by Bernard Capes
- The Hollow Needle by Maurice Leblanc
Genres
- Historical Fiction — Anatole France's 'The Red Egg to Samuel Pozzi' is primarily based within a historical context. The plot, characters, and events are intricately tied to a specific period in history, giving the narrative its historical fiction genre.
- Drama — The narrative carries dramatic undertones, featuring emotional scenes, tension, conflicts, and resolution between characters, that align it with the drama genre.
- Literary Fiction — France's unique and often complex exploration of themes, characters and symbols, in addition to his sophisticated writing style, align his work with the literary fiction genre.
Tags
French Literature · Symbolism · Realism · Mystery · Detective Fiction · Medical Theme · Narrative Nonfiction · Existentialism · Philosophy · Social Commentary · Historical Fiction · 19th Century Literature