A Pauper's Monologue
A Pauper's Monologue is a short story written by Gelett Burgess in 1906. The story follows the thoughts of a poor man who reflects on his life and struggles to make ends meet. He laments about how he has been treated unfairly by society and how he longs for a better life. Despite his hardships, he remains hopeful that things will get better in the future.
By Gelett Burgess · First published 1894 · Genre: Satire, Philosophical Fiction, Social Commentary · 1,294 words
First lines
Understand, I am not one of those who are always longing to be rich. I do very well, ordinarily, in the shadow of prosperity, though there comes upon me periodically the lust for gold, at which times the desire to rush down-town and spend money indiscreetly must be obeyed. It is a common symptom, paupers tell me, and carries with it its own remedy, giving much the same relief that blood-letting did of old, if so be the practice does not lead to a dangerous hemorrhage. I have my ups and downs, like most unsalaried Bohemians, thin purse, thick purse, at erratic intervals, but my spendthrift appetite is curiously independent of these financial fluctuations. In fact, a miserly restraint is most likely to seize me when my pocket is full, and I usually grow reckless when it has no silver lining.
What this Textopian page supports
A Pauper's Monologue is listed on Textopian as a short story by Gelett Burgess, dated 1894 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Gelett Burgess
- Date: 1894 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Satire, Philosophical Fiction, Social Commentary, Literary Fiction, Humor
- Length: 1,294 words
- Structure: 1 section, 8 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Pauper's Monologue by Gelett Burgess
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Discussion starters
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Similar titles
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- The Angry Author His Farewell by G. K. Chesterton
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Genres
- Satire — The narrative employs humor and irony to critique societal norms and the pursuit of wealth.
- Philosophical Fiction — The text explores existential themes and the nature of wealth and happiness.
- Social Commentary — The work reflects on social class distinctions and the implications of wealth.
- Literary Fiction — The writing style and character introspection align with literary fiction conventions.
Tags
poverty · monologue · social commentary · humor · satire · class struggle · narrative · first-person · reflection · life experiences · struggles · identity