The Woodpecker
The Woodpecker is a novel by Elizabeth Madox Roberts, set in rural Kentucky in the early twentieth century. The story follows the life of a young girl, Mary, who is growing up in a small farming community. Mary is a bright and imaginative child, and she loves to explore the woods and fields around her home. She is also a talented musician, and she dreams of one day becoming a professional musician. When Mary's father dies, her family is left in a difficult financial situation. Mary's mother is forced to take in boarders to make ends meet, and Mary is left to care for her younger siblings. Despite the hardships, Mary finds solace in the natural world around her, and she discovers a special bond with a woodpecker that visits her family's farm. As Mary grows older, she is faced with difficult choices about her future. She must decide whether to pursue her dream of becoming a musician, or to stay home and help her family. Ultimately, Mary chooses to stay home and help her family, but she never forgets her dream. The Woodpecker is a beautiful story of family, friendship, and the power of dreams.
By Elizabeth Madox Roberts · First published 1922 · Genre: Southern Gothic, Realism, Fiction · 80 words
First lines
The woodpecker pecked out a little round hole And made him a house in the telephone pole.
One day when I watched he poked out his head, And he had on a hood and a collar of red.
When the streams of rain pour out of the sky, And the sparkles of lightning go flashing by,
And the big, big wheels of thunder roll, He can snuggle back in the telephone pole.
What this Textopian page supports
The Woodpecker 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, Fiction, Literary Fiction
- Length: 80 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Woodpecker 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
- 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 Woodpecker?
- How does this short story by Elizabeth Madox Roberts fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Southern Gothic first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- Firefly by Elizabeth Madox Roberts
- Little Bush by Elizabeth Madox Roberts
- The Pilaster by Elizabeth Madox Roberts
- The Sunday Bonnet by Elizabeth Madox Roberts
- August Night by Elizabeth Madox Roberts
- Strange Tree by Elizabeth Madox Roberts
Genres
- Southern Gothic — The Woodpecker 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 Woodpecker is written in a realistic style, focusing on the everyday lives of its characters and their struggles with poverty and family dynamics.
- Fiction — The Woodpecker is a work of fiction, as it is a story that is not based on real events or people.
- Literary Fiction — The Woodpecker is a literary work, as it focuses on the psychological and emotional lives of its characters and explores themes of death, decay, and the supernatural.
Tags
American · American poetry · Children's poetry · children's poetry, american · collar · day · flashing · head · hole · hood · house · lightning