Pompey the Little by Edmund Gosse
The memoir recounts the author's unhappy childhood, dominated by his father's strict and repressive Evangelical Christianity. The family's poverty and the father's obsessive religiosity create a stifling atmosphere, which the young narrator struggles to escape.
By Edmund Gosse · First published 1889 · Genre: Satire, Social Commentary, Picaresque · 1,880 words
First lines
THE HISTORY OF POMPEY THE LITTLE; _or, the Life and Adventures of a Lap-Dog. London: Printed for M. Cooper, at the Globe in Paternoster Row, MDCCLI_.
What this Textopian page supports
Pompey the Little is listed on Textopian as a short story by Edmund Gosse, dated 1889 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Edmund Gosse
- Date: 1889 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Satire, Social Commentary, Picaresque, Comedy, Adventure
- Length: 1,880 words
- Structure: 1 section, 14 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Pompey the Little by Edmund Gosse
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Pompey the Little?
- How does this short story by Edmund Gosse fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Satire first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Satire — The book uses humor, irony, and exaggeration to criticize and mock society's follies and vices, particularly those of the upper class.
- Social Commentary — The narrative provides a critique of various aspects of society, including class distinctions, social norms, and the behavior of the elite.
- Picaresque — The story follows the adventures of a low-born but appealing hero (in this case, a dog) who lives by his wits in a corrupt society.
- Comedy — The book contains humorous episodes and dialogue, often deriving from character and situation.
Tags
Autobiography · Childhood · Memoir · Victorian Era · Family Life · Parent-Child Relationship · Growing Up · Coming of Age · Nostalgia · Humor · Satire · Social Commentary