Saving the Toll by Frank R. Stockton
Saving the Toll is a short story by Frank R. Stockton about a man who saves a woman from drowning in a river and then demands payment for his heroic act. The story explores themes of morality, justice, and the value of human life.
By Frank R. Stockton · First published 1892 · Genre: Adventure, Coming-of-Age, Drama · 1,087 words
First lines
When I was a youngster and lived in the country, there were three of us boys who used to go very frequently to a small village about a mile from our homes. To reach this village it was necessary to cross a narrow river, and there was a toll-bridge for that purpose. The toll for every foot-passenger who went over this bridge was one cent. Now, this does not seem like a very high charge, but, at that time, we very often thought that we would much rather keep our pennies to spend in the village than to pay them to the old man who took toll on the bridge. But it was often necessary for us to cross the river, and to do so, and save our money at the same time, we used to adopt a very hazardous expedient.
What this Textopian page supports
Saving the Toll is listed on Textopian as a short story by Frank R. Stockton, dated 1892 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: 1892 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Adventure, Coming-of-Age, Drama, Moral Tale, Historical Fiction
- Length: 1,087 words
- Structure: 1 section, 13 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Saving the Toll 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
- 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 Saving the Toll?
- 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 plot revolves around the boys' risky and adventurous attempts to cross a dangerous railroad bridge to save money.
- Coming-of-Age — The story highlights the boys' growth and realization of their foolishness, marking a transition from childhood recklessness to maturity.
- Drama — The narrative includes intense moments of fear and danger, especially when the train approaches the boys on the bridge.
- Moral Tale — The story conveys a clear moral lesson about the value of safety and sensibility over reckless behavior.
Tags
adventure · mystery · fantasy · humor · suspense · narrative · short story · American literature · 19th century · imagination · conflict · character development