The Gates Ajar

Name: The Gates Ajar
Author: Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward

The story revolves around a young girl named Mary Cabot who loses her brother in the American Civil War. The novel explores Mary's emotional struggle to come to terms with her loss and find solace in her faith. Through her journey, the author critiques the traditional Christian beliefs of the time, which emphasized the glory of dying for one's country, and instead presents a more compassionate and personal understanding of grief and spirituality.

By Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward · First published 1868 · Genre: Religious Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Sentimental Fiction · 16 chapters · 60,065 words

First lines

One week; only one week to-day, this twenty-first of February.

I have been sitting here in the dark and thinking about it, till it seems so horribly long and so horribly short; it has been such a week to live through, and it is such a small part of the weeks that must be lived through, that I could think no longer, but lighted my lamp and opened my desk to find something to do.

What this Textopian page supports

The Gates Ajar is listed on Textopian as a novel by Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward, dated 1868 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Novel
Author: Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward
Date: 1868 CE
Language: English
Genres: Religious Fiction, Domestic Fiction, Sentimental Fiction, 19th Century American Literature, Women's Literature
Length: 60,065 words
Structure: 16 chapters, 1,141 paragraphs
Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)

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Discussion starters

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Similar titles

Genres

Religious Fiction — Explores themes of faith, the afterlife, and spiritual comfort.
Domestic Fiction — Focuses on family relationships and personal loss.
Sentimental Fiction — Emphasizes emotional experiences and moral lessons.
19th Century American Literature — Reflects the literary style and cultural context of the 19th century in America.