Living in Smoke by Frank R. Stockton
Living in Smoke is a short story written by Frank R. Stockton that tells the tale of a man who lives in a house filled with smoke. The protagonist, Mr. Smith, has grown accustomed to living in this environment and finds it difficult to imagine life without it. However, when he meets a woman named Mrs. Jones, she convinces him to try living without smoke for a while. After experiencing the benefits of clean air, Mr. Smith decides to make a permanent change and moves out of his smoky home.
By Frank R. Stockton · First published 1893 · Genre: Adventure, Travel, Non-fiction · 383 words
First lines
Here is a mosquito of which the bravest man might be afraid; but, fortunately, these insects are not found quite so large as the one in the drawing, for he is considerably magnified. But when we hear even a very small fellow buzzing around our heads, in the darkness of a summer night, we are very apt to think that he sounds as if he were at least as big as a bat.
What this Textopian page supports
Living in Smoke is listed on Textopian as a short story by Frank R. Stockton, dated 1893 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Frank R. Stockton
- Date: 1893 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Adventure, Travel, Non-fiction, Nature, Cultural
- Length: 383 words
- Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Living in Smoke by Frank R. Stockton
- 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 Living in Smoke?
- How does this short story by Frank R. Stockton fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Adventure first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Adventure — The narrative involves exploration and survival in challenging environments.
- Travel — The story discusses different countries and the experiences of people living there.
- Non-fiction — The text provides factual information about mosquitoes and their impact on human life.
- Nature — The focus on mosquitoes and their behavior ties the story to natural phenomena.
Tags
fantasy · adventure · mystery · imagination · surrealism · humor · satire · social commentary · narrative · character development · dialogue · suspense