The Fruit of the Tree by Edith Wharton

The novel revolves around the story of John Amherst, a wealthy and influential man who owns a textile mill in a small New England town. He is known for his philanthropy and kindness towards his workers. However, when a worker is wrongly accused of murder, Amherst's sense of justice compels him to investigate the case, leading to a shocking revelation that changes everything.

By Edith Wharton · First published 1907 · Genre: Realism, Social Commentary, Romance · 43 chapters · 170,700 words

First lines

IN the surgical ward of the Hope Hospital at Hanaford, a nurse was bending over a young man whose bandaged right hand and arm lay stretched along the bed.

His head stirred uneasily, and slipping her arm behind him she effected a professional readjustment of the pillows. "Is that better?"

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What this Textopian page supports

The Fruit of the Tree is listed on Textopian as a novel by Edith Wharton, dated 1907 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

• Work type: Novel
• Author: Edith Wharton
• Date: 1907 CE
• Language: English
• Genres: Realism, Social Commentary, Romance, Tragedy
• Length: 170,700 words
• Structure: 43 chapters, 3,309 paragraphs
• Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)

Good citation fit

• Work identity for The Fruit of the Tree by Edith Wharton
• 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

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• The Romance Of A Plain Man by Ellen Glasgow
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Genres

• Realism — The narrative is grounded in reality, focusing on the everyday experiences and struggles of its characters.
• Social Commentary — The narrative critiques and explores societal norms and issues, particularly those related to class and labor rights.
• Romance — The narrative includes a romantic subplot, though it is not the primary focus.
• Tragedy — The narrative includes tragic elements, including character deaths and moral dilemmas.

Tags

American Literature · Novel · Social Class · Marriage · Family · Drama · Tragedy · Love Triangle · Infidelity · Adultery · Moral Dilemma · Psychological Insight

Contents

• CHAPTER I
• CHAPTER II
• CHAPTER III
• CHAPTER IV
• CHAPTER V
• CHAPTER VI
• CHAPTER VII
• CHAPTER VIII
• CHAPTER IX
• CHAPTER X
• CHAPTER XI
• CHAPTER XII
• CHAPTER XIII
• CHAPTER XIV
• CHAPTER XV
• CHAPTER XVI
• CHAPTER XVII
• CHAPTER XVIII
• CHAPTER XIX
• CHAPTER XX
• CHAPTER XXI
• CHAPTER XXII
• CHAPTER XXIII
• CHAPTER XXIV
• CHAPTER XXV
• CHAPTER XXVI
• CHAPTER XXVII
• CHAPTER XXVIII
• CHAPTER XXIX
• CHAPTER XXX
• CHAPTER XXXI
• CHAPTER XXXII
• CHAPTER XXXIII
• CHAPTER XXXIV
• CHAPTER XXXV
• CHAPTER XXXVI
• CHAPTER XXXVII
• CHAPTER XXXVIII
• CHAPTER XXXIX
• CHAPTER XL
• CHAPTER XLI
• CHAPTER XLII
• CHAPTER XLIII

More by Edith Wharton

• Atrophy (1937)
• A Bottle of Perrier (1924)
• Mr. Jones (1924)
• After Holbein (1924)
• Dieu D'Amour (1924)
• The Refugees (1924)
• The Spark (1924)
• The Old Maid (1924)
• All works by Edith Wharton