Targets by Gouverneur Morris (1934)
The novel Targets, by Gouverneur Morris, follows the story of a young woman named Sarah who becomes involved in a dangerous game of espionage and intrigue. As she navigates her way through a web of lies and deceit, Sarah must use all of her wits to stay one step ahead of those who seek to harm her. Along the way, she discovers that nothing is as it seems, and that even those closest to her may not be who they appear to be. With its fast-paced action and intricate plot twists, Targets is a thrilling read for fans of suspense and espionage fiction.
By Gouverneur Morris · First published 1934 · Genre: Adventure, Drama, Philosophical Fiction · 4,863 words
First lines
"On the contrary," said Gardiner, "lightning very often strikes twice in the same place, and often three times. The so-called all-wise Providence is still in the experimental stage. My grandmother, for instance, presented my grandfather with fifteen children: seven live sons and eight dead daughters. That's when the lightning had fun with itself. And when the epidemic of ophthalmia broke out in the Straits Settlements, what class of people do you suppose developed the highest percentage of total loss of sight in one or both eyes? -- why the inmates of the big asylum for the deaf and dumb in Singapore: twenty per cent of those poor stricken souls went stone blind. Then what do you think the lightning did? Set the blooming asylum on fire and burned it to the ground. And then, I dare say, the elements retired to some region of waste, off in space somewhere, and sat down and thundered with laughter. But it wasn't through with the deaf and dumb, and blind, and roofless even then.
What this Textopian page supports
Targets is listed on Textopian as a short story by Gouverneur Morris, dated 1934 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Gouverneur Morris
- Date: 1934 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Adventure, Drama, Philosophical Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Literary Fiction
- Length: 4,863 words
- Structure: 1 section, 48 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Targets by Gouverneur Morris
- 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 Targets?
- How does this short story by Gouverneur Morris 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 a shipwreck, survival, and exploration, which are central elements of adventure stories.
- Drama — The story explores deep emotional themes such as love, loss, and survival, characteristic of dramatic literature.
- Philosophical Fiction — The text delves into existential themes and questions about fate, providence, and human experience.
- Psychological Fiction — The narrative examines the inner lives and emotional states of the characters, particularly the protagonist's development.
Tags
adventure · mystery · suspense · thriller · crime · detective · action · plot twist · investigation · intrigue · character development · narrative