At the Water by Elizabeth Madox Roberts
The Water is a novel by Elizabeth Madox Roberts, published in 1926. It tells the story of a young woman, Mary, who is struggling to find her place in the world. She is a dreamer, a poet, and a wanderer, and she is searching for a place to call home. The novel follows Mary as she moves from her small Kentucky hometown to the bustling city of Louisville. Along the way, she meets a variety of people, from a kindly old man to a mysterious young woman. As she travels, Mary discovers the beauty of the natural world and the power of human connection. The Water is a lyrical and poetic exploration of identity, belonging, and the search for home. It is a timeless story of a young woman's journey of self-discovery and the power of love.
By Elizabeth Madox Roberts · First published 1922 · Genre: Southern Gothic, Realism, Regionalism · 113 words
First lines
I liked to go to the branch today; / I liked to play with the wiggletails there. / And five little smells and one big smell / Were going round in the air.
One was the water, a little cold smell, / And one was mud and that was more, / And one was the smell of cool wet moss, / And one was some fennel up on the shore.
And the one big smell came out of the mint, / And one was something I couldn't tell. / And the five little ones and the big one / All went together very well.
What this Textopian page supports
At the Water is listed on Textopian as a short story by Elizabeth Madox Roberts, dated 1922 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Elizabeth Madox Roberts
- Date: 1922 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Southern Gothic, Realism, Regionalism, Fiction
- Length: 113 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
Good citation fit
- Work identity for At the Water by Elizabeth Madox Roberts
- 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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Similar titles
- Firefly by Elizabeth Madox Roberts
- August Night by Elizabeth Madox Roberts
- Little Bush by Elizabeth Madox Roberts
- The Branch by Elizabeth Madox Roberts
- The Star by Elizabeth Madox Roberts
- Among The Rushes by Elizabeth Madox Roberts
Genres
- Southern Gothic — The novel is set in rural Kentucky and explores themes of death, decay, and the supernatural, which are all common elements of Southern Gothic literature.
- Realism — The novel is written in a realistic style, focusing on the everyday lives of its characters and their struggles with poverty and isolation.
- Regionalism — The novel is set in a specific region of the United States and explores the culture and customs of the people living there.
- Fiction — The novel is a work of fiction, with characters and events that are not based on real people or events.
Tags
American · American poetry · Children's poetry · air · branch · children's poetry, american · cold · cool · fennel · mint · moss · mud