A Life-And-Death Struggle
A Life-And-Death Struggle is a novel by Grant Allen that tells the story of two men who are locked in a battle for survival in the Canadian wilderness. The book follows their journey as they struggle to find food, shelter, and safety while facing numerous obstacles along the way. It explores themes of perseverance, determination, and the human will to survive against all odds.
By Grant Allen · First published 1894 · Genre: Nature Writing, Essay, Philosophical Fiction · 1,131 words
First lines
IT isn't often a man can stand at his own drawing-room window and be the interested spectator at a combat of wild beasts, where one antagonist not only conquers, but also fairly devours the other! Yet such Roman sport I have just this moment been unlucky enough to witness. Unlucky enough, I say, because the victor did not first kill and then eat his victim, as any combatant with a spark of chivalry in his nature would have done, but slowly chewed him up alive before my eyes, with no more consideration for the feelings of the vanquished than if the unfortunate creature had been a vegetable. I don't mean to pretend it was tiger _versus_ cobra. The assailant was a thrush, the defender an earthworm. Now, thrushes, we all know, are sweet songsters when they have dined. Has not George Meredith hymned them, as Shelley the skylark? But if you want to see the poetry taken clean out of a thrush, just watch him as he catches and devours an earthworm!
What this Textopian page supports
A Life-And-Death Struggle is listed on Textopian as a short story by Grant Allen, 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: Grant Allen
- Date: 1894 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Nature Writing, Essay, Philosophical Fiction, Literary Fiction
- Length: 1,131 words
- Structure: 1 section, 8 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Life-And-Death Struggle by Grant Allen
- 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 A Life-And-Death Struggle?
- How does this short story by Grant Allen fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Nature Writing first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- At The Rising Of The Waters by John Buchan
- The Rescue by Edward Dyson
- A Desperate Struggle For Life by Grant Allen
- Hew by Gilbert Parker
- At The Pits Mouth by Rudyard Kipling
- Out Of The Depths by Robert Ames Bennet
Genres
- Nature Writing — The narrative focuses on the observation of natural events and the interaction between animals, emphasizing the behavior of thrushes and earthworms.
- Essay — The text presents a reflective and descriptive account of a specific event, offering insights and commentary on the natural world.
- Philosophical Fiction — The narrative explores themes of life, death, and survival, prompting philosophical reflection on the nature of existence and the food chain.
- Literary Fiction — The writing style is rich and descriptive, focusing on the intricacies of the natural world and human-like qualities attributed to animals.
Tags
survival · conflict · drama · adventure · suspense · human struggle · life-threatening · emotional · resilience · courage · determination · nature