The Caller in the Night
Williams’s study of “The Caller in the Night” examines Mr. Kline’s stated aim of creating a Pennsylvania legend rather than retelling an actual one. It uses his remarks about the invented Screamer Moll, the storm, and the nature of plot to frame questions about authorial purpose and short-story craft. The analysis separates the narrative’s chronological events from its deliberately incoherent, retrospective presentation through Moll’s account. It directs readers to identify plot stages, assess the framing setting at Mrs. Pollard’s home, and trace how the repeated thunderstorm, sound effects, and final discovery of skeletons build atmosphere and legend. Williams also considers Moll’s introduction, her unreliable perspective as an insane narrator, the limited portrayal of Fannie and George, and Kline’s distinction between plot invention and plot arrangement.
By Blanche Colton Williams · First published 1919 · Genre: Literary Analysis, Literary Criticism, Literary Essay · 1,127 words
First lines
THE STARTING POINT. Mr. Kline is not sure of his beginnings; perhaps it came to him out of the ether "or whatever it is that niggardly generates ideas. " "If it had any starting point, perhaps it was in a talk I remember once having with Braithwaite. I kicked because the embattled farmers and others of New England never seemed to fire a shot but some ready recorder was instantly on hand to jot it down in a paean of praise; while Pennsylvania, with pretty good history of its own, too, and full of legend and lore, had gone totally unreported by comparison. Maybe I started out to hunt up its legends."
Similar titles
- T B by Blanche Colton Williams
- The Cat Of The Cane Brake by Blanche Colton Williams
- Blind Vision by Blanche Colton Williams
- Laughter by Blanche Colton Williams
- Cruelties by Blanche Colton Williams
- The Dark Hour by Blanche Colton Williams
Genres
- Literary Analysis — The section closely examines narrative order, setting, characterization, viewpoint, and cumulative effect.
- Literary Criticism — It evaluates Kline’s stated intentions and tests the story’s methods against principles of short-story craft.
- Literary Essay — The instructional commentary organizes interpretive questions and comparisons with other writers’ plot techniques.
- Non-Fiction — This is a critical study section rather than a work of imaginative fiction.
Tags
Blanche Colton Williams · The Caller in the Night · Mr. Kline · short-story criticism · plot presentation · framed narrative · retrospective narration · Screamer Moll · unreliable narrator · Pennsylvania legend · thunderstorm motif · setting and atmosphere
What this Textopian page supports
The Caller in the Night is listed on Textopian as an essay by Blanche Colton Williams, dated 1919 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Essay
- Author: Blanche Colton Williams
- Date: 1919 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Literary Analysis, Literary Criticism, Literary Essay, Non-Fiction
- Length: 1,127 words
- Structure: 1 section, 17 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Caller in the Night by Blanche Colton Williams
- 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