The Spark by Edith Wharton (1924)
The Spark is a novel by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Edith Wharton. It tells the story of a young woman, Elinor, who is struggling to find her place in the world. She is a talented musician, but her family is too poor to support her ambitions. She is also in love with a man who is not suitable for her. Elinor is determined to make something of her life, and she embarks on a journey of self-discovery. Along the way, she meets a variety of people who help her to understand herself and her place in the world. She also learns to accept her own limitations and to find joy in the small moments of life. In the end, Elinor finds the courage to pursue her dreams and to make her own way in the world.
By Edith Wharton · First published 1924 · Genre: Realistic Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction · 5 chapters · 14,473 words
First lines
-"You idiot!" said his wife, and threw down her cards.
I turned my head away quickly, to avoid seeing Hayley Delane's face; though why I wished to avoid it I could not have told you, much less why I should have imagined (if I did) that a man of his age and importance would notice what was happening to the wholly negligible features of a youth like myself.
What this Textopian page supports
The Spark is listed on Textopian as a novel by Edith Wharton, dated 1924 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: 1924 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Realistic Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction, Drama
- Length: 14,473 words
- Structure: 5 chapters, 488 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Spark 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
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Spark?
- How does this novel by Edith Wharton fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Realistic Fiction first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Realistic Fiction — The Spark is a realistic fiction novel that follows the story of a young woman's journey of self-discovery and her struggles to find her place in society.
- Romance — The Spark contains a romantic subplot between the protagonist and a man she meets on her journey.
- Historical Fiction — The Spark is set in the early 20th century and contains many references to the historical context of the time period.
- Drama — The Spark is a dramatic story that follows the protagonist's emotional journey and her struggles to find her place in society.
Tags
The Sixties · age · alstrop · broad · byrne · children · day · delane · delane's · dinner · eyes · father
Contents
- Chapter 1
- Chapter 2
- Chapter 3
- Chapter 4
- Chapter 5