A Little Joke by Antonio Hope (2017)
"A Little Joke" is a novella that explores the complexities of human relationships and the power dynamics at play in any given interaction. The story follows a young woman named Maria, who is struggling to come to terms with her own identity and sense of self-worth after a painful breakup. When she meets a charismatic and confident man named Carlos, she becomes infatuated with him and his apparent ease and confidence in the world. As their relationship deepens, Maria begins to question her own worth and the nature of her attachment to Carlos, leading to a dramatic and unexpected conclusion.
By Antonio Hope · First published 2017 · Genre: Comedy, Drama, Children's Fiction · 1,946 words
First lines
A day or two before Easter, I was sitting in my office, finishing up some scraps of work, and ever and anon casting happy glances at my portmanteau, which stood in the corner. I was just off to spend a fortnight with my old friend Colonel Gunton, in Norfolk, and I was looking forward to seeing him again with great pleasure. We had not met for ten years, and I had never been to his place or seen any of his family. It would be delightful.
The telephone bell rang.
What this Textopian page supports
A Little Joke is listed on Textopian as a short story by Antonio Hope, dated 2017 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Antonio Hope
- Date: 2017 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Comedy, Drama, Children's Fiction, Realistic Fiction
- Length: 1,946 words
- Structure: 1 section, 87 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Little Joke by Antonio Hope
- 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 A Little Joke?
- How does this short story by Antonio Hope fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Comedy first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Comedy — The title 'A Little Joke' suggests humor and light-hearted content, making comedy the most relevant genre.
- Drama — Considering that humor can often tie in with dramatic situations, drama is another relevant genre.
- Children's Fiction — The light-hearted title might suggest a book that is suitable for younger readers, hence the children's fiction genre.
- Realistic Fiction — The title might suggest an entertaining but real-world situation, making realistic fiction a possible genre.
Tags
humor · comedy · satire · dark humor · absurdity · surrealism · fiction · novel · literary fiction · contemporary fiction · psychological fiction · thriller