Tomorrow by Eugene O'Neill (1917)
Tomorrow is a play by American playwright Eugene O'Neill. It is set in a small New England town in the early 20th century and follows the story of a young couple, John and Mary, who are struggling to make ends meet. John is a hardworking farmer, while Mary is a dreamer who longs for a better life. When John's father dies, he is left with a large debt and the responsibility of caring for his family. In order to make ends meet, John takes a job in the city, leaving Mary alone to care for their children. The play follows the couple as they struggle to make a life for themselves and their children. Mary is determined to make a better life for her family, while John is determined to keep his family together. As the play progresses, the couple's relationship is tested by their different dreams and desires. In the end, they must decide whether to stay together or to go their separate ways.
By Eugene O'Neill · First published 1917 · Genre: Drama, Tragedy, Realism · 8,097 words
First lines
It was back in my sailor days, in the winter of my great down-and- outness, that all this happened. In those years of wandering, to be broke and "on the beach" in some seaport or other of the world was no new experience; but this had been an unusually long period of inaction even for me. Six months before I had landed in New York after a voyage from Buenos Aires as able seaman on a British tramp. Since that time I had loafed around the water front, eking out an existence on a small allowance from my family, too lazy of body and mind, too indifferent to things in general, to ship to sea again or do anything else. I shared a small rear room with another "gentleman-ranker," Jimmy Anderson, an old friend of mine, over an all-night dive near South street known as Tommy the Priest's.
What this Textopian page supports
Tomorrow is listed on Textopian as a novel by Eugene O'Neill, dated 1917 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Eugene O'Neill
- Date: 1917 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Drama, Tragedy, Realism, Romance
- Length: 8,097 words
- Structure: 1 section, 250 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Tomorrow by Eugene O'Neill
- 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 Tomorrow?
- How does this novel by Eugene O'Neill fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Drama first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- Welded by Eugene Oneill
- Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov
- Sickness by D. H. Lawrence
- Denial by Gilbert Parker
- Though One Rose From The Dead by William Dean Howells
- All Gods Chillun Got Wings by Eugene Oneill
Genres
- Drama — Eugene O'Neill is a renowned playwright, and 'Tomorrow' is a play, making drama the most relevant genre.
- Tragedy — The play follows a family's struggles with poverty and death, making tragedy a close second.
- Realism — The play is set in a realistic setting and follows the struggles of a real family, making realism a relevant genre.
- Romance — The play follows the romantic relationship between two of the characters, making romance a relevant genre.
Tags
drama · family · tragedy · hope · loss · redemption · relationships · conflict · American literature · existentialism · human condition · psychological