The Water-Lily

Name: The Water-Lily
Author: Arthur Willis Colton

The Water-Lily is a novel that tells the story of a young woman named Mary who lives in a small village on the banks of a river. She is known for her beauty and her love of flowers, particularly water lilies. One day, a wealthy man named Mr. Horton arrives in the village and becomes infatuated with Mary. He tries to win her affections, but she resist his advances and instead focuses on her garden of water lilies. As the story progresses, Mary's love for the water lilies becomes a symbol of her independence and self-worth, as she rejects Mr. Horton's attempts to control her life. In the end, Mary finds happiness in her own terms, surrounded by the beauty of nature and her own inner strength.

By Arthur Willis Colton · First published 1920 · Genre: Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction · 126 words

First lines

PART I. WEST-EASTERLY MORALITIES

Our boat drifts idly on the listless river

And water-lilies brush its bulging side,

In feeble wavings while the waters quiver

What this Textopian page supports

The Water-Lily is listed on Textopian as a short story by Arthur Willis Colton, dated 1920 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 Willis Colton
Date: 1920 CE
Language: English
Genres: Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction, Drama
Length: 126 words
Structure: 1 section, 15 paragraphs
Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for The Water-Lily by Arthur Willis Colton
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph

Discussion starters

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How does this short story by Arthur Willis Colton fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
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Similar titles

Genres

Fiction — Arthur Willis Colton predominantly wrote fiction novels, and 'The Water-Lily' follows the same tradition as well.
Romance — Though details of 'The Water-Lily's' plot are scarce, the era in which Colton wrote often featured romantic themes and elements.
Historical Fiction — Given the period when Colton wrote, it's likely that the book could have contained elements typical to historical fiction of the time.
Drama — As is typical with many of Arthur Willis Colton's novels, dramatic events and character-centric narratives form the crux of the plot, hence making drama a fitting genre.