The Broken Doll by Charles Lamb
The Broken Doll by Charles Lamb: A poem about a doll that has been broken and left alone, symbolizing the fragility of life and the inevitability of death.
By Charles Lamb · First published 1814 · Genre: Fiction, Short Stories, Children's Literature · 344 words
First lines
An infant is a selfish sprite: But what of that? the sweet delight Which from participation springs, Is quite unknown to these young things.
We elder children then will smile At our dear little John awhile, And bear with him, until he see There is a sweet felicity In pleasing more than only one, Dear little, craving, selfish John.
What this Textopian page supports
The Broken Doll is listed on Textopian as a poem by Charles Lamb, dated 1814 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Charles Lamb
- Date: 1814 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fiction, Short Stories, Children's Literature, Drama
- Length: 344 words
- Structure: 1 section, 7 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Broken Doll by Charles Lamb
- 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 The Broken Doll?
- How does this poem by Charles Lamb fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- More Dollies by Ruth Cobb
- Go Little Book The Ancient Phrase by Robert Louis Stevenson
- The Yellow Paint by Robert Louis Stevenson
- The Toy Theatre by G. K. Chesterton
- The Palace In The Pig Pen by Dallas Lore Sharp
- The Childs Story 1852 by Charles Dickens
Genres
- Fiction — Charles Lamb's 'The Broken Doll' is a short story which falls under broad category of Fiction.
- Short Stories — 'The Broken Doll' is a short narrative, making it fit the Short Stories genre.
- Children's Literature — The narrative revolves around a broken doll, which is a theme commonly associated with Children's Literature.
- Drama — The theme of the story presents dramatic elements common to the Drama genre.
Tags
childhood · imagination · loss · innocence · nostalgia · friendship · grief · memory · transformation · identity · play · sorrow