The White Stone by Anatole France
The White Stone is a novel by Anatole France, published in 1920. It tells the story of a young man named Jacques who becomes obsessed with finding a white stone that he believes will bring him happiness. Despite his efforts, he cannot find the stone and instead finds himself lost in a world of illusions and disillusionment. The novel explores themes of identity, morality, and the search for meaning in a seemingly meaningless world.
By Anatole France · First published 1920 · Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Allegory · 6 chapters · 59,857 words
First lines
A few Frenchmen, united in friendship, who were spending the spring in Rome, were wont to meet amid the ruins of the disinterred Forum. They were Joséphin Leclerc, an Embassy Attaché on leave; M. Goubin, licencié ès lettres, an annotator; Nicole Langelier, of the old Parisian family of the Langeliers, printers and classical scholars; Jean Boilly, a civil engineer, and Hippolyte Dufresne, a man of leisure, and a lover of the fine arts.
What this Textopian page supports
The White Stone is listed on Textopian as a novel by Anatole France, dated 1920 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Anatole France
- Date: 1920 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Allegory, Romantic
- Length: 59,857 words
- Structure: 6 chapters, 762 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The White Stone 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
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The White Stone?
- How does this novel by Anatole France fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fantasy first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Revolt Of The Angels by Anatole France
- Across The Meadows by Anatole France
- The Revolt Of The Home Gods by Lord Dunsany
- The Messengers by Lord Dunsany
- The Reconciliation by Johann Ludwig Tieck
- The Unsainting Of Kavin by Bliss Carman
Genres
- Fantasy — The book includes elements of magical events and extraordinary happenings, which are common in the fantasy genre.
- Historical Fiction — Though fantastical, the novel also draws heavily on Anatole France's extensive knowledge of history and his experiences in fin-de-siecle France.
- Allegory — Like many of Anatole France's works, the narrative can be read on a symbolic level as a critique of social and political structures, common in allegorical works.
- Romantic — Throughout the novel, there is also a focus on emotional and philosophical exploration of human relationships, typical of the romantic genre.
Tags
French Literature · Symbolism · Allegory · Mythology · Philosophy · Politics · Social Commentary · Historical Fiction · Romance · Tragedy · Existentialism · Nihilism