On the Death of a Certain Journal
The Death of a Certain Journal by Charles Kingsley is a short story that explores the themes of death and mortality. The narrator, who is also the author, describes how he came to write this story after witnessing the death of his friend's journal. He explains that the journal was filled with ideas and thoughts that were never realized or shared with anyone else. This inspired him to create a story about the death of a journal, which he believes represents the death of an idea or thought that is never fully realized. The narrator goes on to describe how the journal came to be, how it was created, and what it contained. He also reflects on his own mortality and the importance of leaving behind something meaningful for others to remember you by. Overall, this story serves as a reminder that our ideas and thoughts are fleeting and temporary, and that we should strive to leave behind something lasting and significant in our wake.
By Charles Kingsley · First published 1870 · Genre: Satire, Essay, Non-fiction · 249 words
First lines
So die, thou child of stormy dawn, Thou winter flower, forlorn of nurse; Chilled early by the bigot's curse, The pedant's frown, the worldling's yawn.
Fair death, to fall in teeming June, When every seed which drops to earth Takes root, and wins a second birth From steaming shower and gleaming moon.
Fall warm, fall fast, thou mellow rain; Thou rain of God, make fat the land; That roots which parch in burning sand May bud to flower and fruit again.
To grace, perchance, a fairer morn In mightier lands beyond the sea, While honour falls to such as we From hearts of heroes yet unborn,
What this Textopian page supports
On the Death of a Certain Journal is listed on Textopian as a short story by Charles Kingsley, dated 1870 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Charles Kingsley
- Date: 1870 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Satire, Essay, Non-fiction, Historical, Social criticism
- Length: 249 words
- Structure: 1 section, 7 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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- Work identity for On the Death of a Certain Journal by Charles Kingsley
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering On the Death of a Certain Journal?
- How does this short story by Charles Kingsley fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
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Similar titles
- The Real Journalist by G. K. Chesterton
- The Tyranny Of Bad Journalism by G. K. Chesterton
- The Man And His Newspaper by G. K. Chesterton
- Much Too Modern History by G. K. Chesterton
- A Ballade Of A Book Reviewer by G. K. Chesterton
- The Error Of Impartiality by G. K. Chesterton
Genres
- Satire — This text is a satiric critique of the press, using irony and exaggeration to expose and criticize the journalistic standards of the time.
- Essay — ON THE DEATH OF A CERTAIN JOURNAL {282} is a structured piece of writing aimed at presenting a logical argument about a specific issue - the death of a journal.
- Non-fiction — Written by Charles Kingsley, this piece represents real-world occurrences, events, and information.
- Historical — It provides a historical evaluation of the press, referring to specific events and societal conditions of the time.
Tags
journalism · literature · critique · media · censorship · freedom of speech · society · culture · opinion · editorial · public discourse · communication