
Ranald Bannerman's Boyhood
Ranald Bannerman's Boyhood is a novel by George MacDonald that tells the story of Ranald Bannerman, a young boy growing up in Scotland during the early 19th century. The book follows Ranald as he navigates his way through various adventures and challenges, including encounters with pirates, ghosts, and other mysterious creatures. Along the way, Ranald learns important lessons about friendship, loyalty, and courage, and ultimately discovers the true meaning of heroism.
By George MacDonald · First published 1878 · Genre: Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Adventure · 36 chapters · 100,468 words
First lines
I do not intend to carry my story one month beyond the hour when I saw that my boyhood was gone and my youth arrived; a period determined to some by the first tail-coat, to me by a different sign. My reason for wishing to tell this first portion of my history is, that when I look back upon it, it seems to me not only so pleasant, but so full of meaning, that, if I can only tell it right, it must prove rather pleasant and not quite unmeaning to those who will read it. It will prove a very poor story to such as care only for stirring adventures, and like them all the better for a pretty strong infusion of the impossible; but those to whom their own history is interesting -- to whom, young as they may be, it is a pleasant thing to be in the world -- will not, I think, find the experience of a boy born in a very different position from that of most of them, yet as much a boy as any of them, wearisome because ordinary.
What this Textopian page supports
Ranald Bannerman's Boyhood is listed on Textopian as a novel by George MacDonald, dated 1878 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: George MacDonald
- Date: 1878 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Bildungsroman, Children's Literature, Adventure, Historical Fiction, Family Saga
- Length: 100,468 words
- Structure: 36 chapters, 1,279 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Ranald Bannerman's Boyhood by George MacDonald
- 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 Ranald Bannerman's Boyhood?
- How does this novel by George MacDonald fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Bildungsroman first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
Genres
- Bildungsroman — The book focuses on the protagonist's growth and personal development from childhood to adolescence.
- Children's Literature — The narrative is centered around a young boy's experiences and is suitable for a younger audience.
- Adventure — The story includes various adventures and explorations that the protagonist undertakes.
- Historical Fiction — The setting and context reflect a specific historical period, providing a backdrop for the story.
Tags
boyhood · coming of age · adventure · friendship · family · Scottish culture · nature · imagination · childhood · rural life · self-discovery · innocence
Contents
- Introductory
- The Glimmer of Twilight
- My Father
- Kirsty
- I Begin Life
- No Father
- Mrs. Mitchell is Defeated
- A New Schoolmistress
- We Learn other Things
- Sir Worm Wymble
- The Kelpie
- Another Kelpie
- Wandering Willie
- Elsie Duff
- A New Companion
- I Go down Hill
- The Trouble Grows
- Light out of Darkness
- Forgiveness
- I have a Fall and a Dream
- The Bees' Nest
- Vain Intercession
- Knight-Errantry
- Failure
- Turkey Plots
- Old John Jamieson
- Turkey's Trick
- I Scheme Too
- A Double Exposure
- Tribulation
- A Winter's Ride
- The Peat-Stack
- A Solitary Chapter
- An Evening Visit
- A Break in my Story
- I Learn that I am not a Man
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