Behind the Shade by Arthur Morrison
The novel follows the life of a young man named Jimmie Denton, who is struggling to find his place in the world after serving in the military. He becomes embroiled in a series of events that test his moral character and lead him down a path of self-discovery. What are your thoughts on Jimmie's character development throughout the novel?
By Arthur Morrison · First published 1890 · Genre: Mystery, Crime, Thriller · 2,903 words
First lines
The street was the common East End street -- two parallels of brick pierced with windows and doors. But at the end of one, where the builder had found a remnant of land too small for another six-roomer, there stood an odd box of a cottage, with three rooms and a wash-house. It had a green door with a well-blacked knocker round the corner; and in the lower window in front stood a "shade of fruit" -- a cone of waxen grapes and apples under a glass cover.
What this Textopian page supports
Behind the Shade is listed on Textopian as a short story by Arthur Morrison, dated 1890 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Arthur Morrison
- Date: 1890 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Mystery, Crime, Thriller, Historical Fiction, Drama
- Length: 2,903 words
- Structure: 1 section, 22 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Behind the Shade by Arthur Morrison
- 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 Behind the Shade?
- How does this short story by Arthur Morrison fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Mystery first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Holford Will Case by Arthur Morrison
- The Social Gangster by Arthur B. Reeve
- Two Footpads by Ambrose Bierce
- An Enemy To Law And Order by Ambrose Bierce
- When The Gangs Came To London by Edgar Wallace
- Indicted by Ambrose Bierce
Genres
- Mystery — The main narrative is a mystery, which forms the spine of the storyline, with the protagonist attempting to uncover truths hid 'Behind the Shade'.
- Crime — The book involve the investigation of a crime, particularly an extortion racket in 19th-century London, thus fitting the crime genre.
- Thriller — Arthur Morrison's works regularly features suspense and tension, making it fit for the Thriller genre.
- Historical Fiction — The story is set in 19th-century Britain and accurately represents the era, tense sociopolitical climate, and living conditions of the time.
Tags
mystery · thriller · detective · crime · noir · realism · literary · fiction · psychological · social · political · historical