To Whom This May Come
In Edward Bellamy's novel, To Whom This May Come, the protagonist, John, is a young man who is struggling to make sense of his life. He is a recent college graduate who is trying to find his place in the world. He is searching for a purpose and a way to make a difference. John's journey takes him to a small town in the Midwest, where he meets a mysterious stranger who introduces him to a utopian society. This society is based on the principles of equality, justice, and cooperation. John is amazed by the utopian society and decides to stay and learn more about it. As John learns more about the utopian society, he discovers that it is not perfect. He also discovers that the people in the society are not as perfect as they seem. He begins to question the utopian society and its principles. John's journey leads him to a deeper understanding of himself and the world around him. He learns that the utopian society is not perfect, but it is a place where people can strive for a better life. He also learns that the principles of equality, justice, and cooperation are essential for a better world. In the end, John finds his place in the world and discovers his purpose.
By Edward Bellamy · First published 1897 · Genre: Romance, Historical Fiction, Drama · 6,456 words
First lines
IT is now about a year since I took passage at Calcutta in the ship Adelaide for New York. We had baffling weather till New Amsterdam Island was sighted, where we took a new point of departure. Three days later, a terrible gale struck us. Four days we flew before it, whither, no one knew, for neither sun, moon, nor stars were at any time visible, and we could take no observation. Toward midnight of the fourth day, the glare of lightning revealed the Adelaide in a hopeless position, close in upon a low-lying shore, and driving straight toward it. All around and astern far out to sea was such a maze of rocks and shoals that it was a miracle we had come so far. Presently the ship struck, and almost instantly went to pieces, so great was the violence of the sea. I gave myself up for lost, and was indeed already past the worst of drowning, when I was recalled to consciousness by being thrown with a tremendous shock upon the beach. I had just strength enough to drag myself above the reach of the waves, and then I fell down and knew no more.
What this Textopian page supports
To Whom This May Come is listed on Textopian as a novel by Edward Bellamy, dated 1897 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Edward Bellamy
- Date: 1897 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Romance, Historical Fiction, Drama, Mystery
- Length: 6,456 words
- Structure: 1 section, 201 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for To Whom This May Come by Edward Bellamy
- 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 To Whom This May Come?
- How does this novel by Edward Bellamy fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Romance first become important in the reading?
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- Jerry Stokes by Grant Allen
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- A Night In Rome by William Harrison Ainsworth
- The Adventure Of The German Student by Washington Irving
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Genres
- Romance — The title of the book implies a romantic story, as it suggests a letter being sent to an unknown recipient.
- Historical Fiction — Edward Bellamy is known for writing historical fiction, so this book is likely to contain elements of this genre.
- Drama — The title implies a story with dramatic elements, as it suggests a letter being sent to an unknown recipient.
- Mystery — The title implies a story with mysterious elements, as it suggests a letter being sent to an unknown recipient.
Tags
utopia · socialism · dystopia · political fiction · economic theory · future society · reform · industrialization · equality · progressivism · American literature · 19th century