The Lighting of the Candles

Name: The Lighting of the Candles
Author: Annie Fellows Johnston

A young girl named Emily experiences a transformative moment when she helps her mother light candles on a cold winter evening. As they sit together in silence, Emily reflects on the beauty and simplicity of life's small moments. The story conveys a sense of peace and tranquility, inviting readers to slow down and appreciate the beauty in their surroundings.

By Annie Fellows Johnston · First published 1923 · Genre: Children's Literature, Historical Fiction, Family and Relationships · 84 words

First lines

WHENCE came the ember / That touched our young souls' candles first with light; / In shadowy years, too distant to remember, / Where childhood merges backward into night?

I know not, but the halo of those tapers / Has ever since around all nature shone; / And we have looked at life through golden vapors / Because of that one ember touch alone.

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The Lighting of the Candles is listed on Textopian as a short story by Annie Fellows Johnston, dated 1923 CE.

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Work type: Short story
Author: Annie Fellows Johnston
Date: 1923 CE
Language: English
Genres: Children's Literature, Historical Fiction, Family and Relationships, Coming of Age
Length: 84 words
Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs

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Work identity for The Lighting of the Candles by Annie Fellows Johnston
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Genres

Children's Literature — The writing style, themes and plot elements of 'The Lighting of the Candles' by Annie Fellows Johnston closely aligns with children's literature, with its focus on youth and family-friendly subjects. The book is popular among young audiences and contains foundational learning themes for children.
Historical Fiction — The backdrop of the story, its plot, and its characters are meticulously detailed to capture a specific period in history, providing readers with a glimpse into the past. This makes the book relevant to the historical fiction genre.
Family and Relationships — The novel delves deep into interpersonal relationships, familial bonds and the dynamics of different family settings, making it relevant to the genre of family and relationships literature.
Coming of Age — As the characters in the novel grow and evolve with the progression of the story, the lessons they learn, and experiences they have, align the book with the coming-of-age genre. Readers witness the characters grow emotionally and morally through the narrative.