The Schoolboy's Story by Charles Dickens
A young boy reflects on his experiences at a boarding school, focusing on a fellow student known as Old Cheeseman. Cheeseman, a mild and lonely character, endures ridicule and isolation from his peers, who view him as a traitor after he becomes a teacher. The boys form a society to oppose him, believing he has betrayed their trust for monetary gain. Despite the harsh treatment, Cheeseman remains kind-hearted, with only one ally, Jane, a caretaker who supports him. The society's animosity escalates until they believe Cheeseman has drowned himself. However, he returns to reveal that he has inherited a fortune, transforming the boys' perception of him. They celebrate his return with a lavish feast and festivities, while Cheeseman expresses forgiveness and camaraderie. The narrative concludes with the revelation that Jane has married Cheeseman, and they become a beloved presence in the boys' lives, demonstrating themes of friendship, loyalty, and the complexities of social dynamics in a school setting.
By Charles Dickens · First published 1853 · Genre: Short Story, Children's literature, Victorian Literature · 4,692 words
First lines
BEING rather young at present-I am getting on in years, but still I am rather young-I have no particular adventures of my own to fall back upon. It wouldn't much interest anybody here, I suppose, to know what a screw the Reverend is, or what a griffin _she_ is, or how they do stick it into parents-particularly hair-cutting, and medical attendance. One of our fellows was charged in his half's account twelve and sixpence for two pills-tolerably profitable at six and threepence a-piece, I should think-and he never took them either, but put them up the sleeve of his jacket.
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The Schoolboy's Story is listed on Textopian as a short story by Charles Dickens, dated 1853 CE.
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- Work type: Short story
- Author: Charles Dickens
- Date: 1853 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Short Story, Children's literature, Victorian Literature
- Length: 4,692 words
- Structure: 1 section, 50 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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- Work identity for The Schoolboy's Story by Charles Dickens
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
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Genres
- Short Story — The work is of a length that is too short to be considered a novel and too long to be considered a novella.
- Children's literature — The main character is a schoolboy, which suggests that the intended audience is children or young adults.
- Victorian Literature — The work was published during the Victorian era, influencing its themes and style.
Tags
school · education · childhood · victorian · literature · coming of age · narrative · humor · social commentary · friendship · adventure · family