The Break in Turpentine
The story revolves around a fictional character, a trader who seeks revenge against a rival operator who had previously deceived and ruined him financially. The protagonist devises an intricate plan to break the market in turpentine futures, aiming to bankrupt his adversary. As the plot unfolds, the narrator delves into the world of high-stakes trading, exploring themes of ambition, greed, and the psychological dynamics at play in the financial arena.
By Edwin Lefevre · First published 1932 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Drama, Mystery · 10,556 words
First lines
In the beginning of the beginning the distillers of turpentine carried competition to the quarrelling point. Then they carried the quarrel to the point of silence, which was most to be feared, for it meant that no time was to be wasted in words. All were losing money; but each hoped that the others were losing more, proportionately, and therefore would go under all the sooner. The survivors thought they could manage to keep on surviving, for on what twelve would starve four could feast.
What this Textopian page supports
The Break in Turpentine is listed on Textopian as a novella by Edwin Lefevre, dated 1932 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novella
- Author: Edwin Lefevre
- Date: 1932 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Historical Fiction, Drama, Mystery, Literary Fiction, Adventure
- Length: 10,556 words
- Structure: 1 section, 150 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Break in Turpentine by Edwin Lefevre
- 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 The Break in Turpentine?
- How does this novella by Edwin Lefevre fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Historical Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Golden Flood by Edwin Lefevre
- The Man Who Won by Edwin Lefevre
- The Last Penny by Edwin Lefevre
- The Lost Opportunity by Edwin Lefevre
- The Plunderers by Edwin Lefevre
- The Tipster by Edwin Lefevre
Genres
- Historical Fiction — Set in a specific historical period with accurate details and events.
- Drama — Focuses on intense character development and emotional themes.
- Mystery — Contains elements of suspense and investigation.
- Literary Fiction — Emphasizes complex characters and stylistic writing.
Tags
Finance · Economy · Business · Investing · Stock Market · Trading · Wall Street · Biography · Memoir · Non-Fiction · History · Early 20th Century