A Party by Guy De Maupassant (1880)
The story revolves around a group of people who gather at a country estate for a weekend party. The guests are all acquaintances and friends of the host, but they are also strangers to each other in many ways. As the weekend progresses, tensions rise and relationships are revealed to be more complex than initially thought. Secrets are exposed, and alliances are formed and broken. The story explores themes of social class, morality, and the superficiality of high society. The characters' actions and motivations are driven by a desire for status, power, and pleasure, rather than genuine human connection. Through the lens of this weekend party, the story critiques the excesses and hypocrisies of the upper class, revealing the emptiness and decay that lies beneath their polished facades.
By Guy De Maupassant · First published 1880 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Comedy, Social Commentary · 3,571 words
First lines
Maître Saval, a notary, was considered an artist in Vernon, where he lived. He was passionately fond of music; though still young, he was bald, always carefully shaved, stoutish but not disagreeably so -- and wore gold eyeglasses, instead of old-fashioned spectacles. He played the piano a little, also the violin, and gave musical evenings for the performance of new operas.
He even had a thread of a voice, only a very thin thread, but this he managed with such taste that cries of "Bravo! " "Amazing! " "Delightful! " came from all corners as soon as he had sung his last note.
What this Textopian page supports
A Party is listed on Textopian as a short story by Guy De Maupassant, dated 1880 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Guy De Maupassant
- Date: 1880 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Literary Fiction, Comedy, Social Commentary, Realism, Drama
- Length: 3,571 words
- Structure: 1 section, 45 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Party by Guy De Maupassant
- 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 Party?
- How does this short story by Guy De Maupassant fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Literary Fiction first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Literary Fiction — The work explores complex characters and societal themes, focusing on the nuances of human behavior and relationships.
- Comedy — The narrative employs humor and absurd situations, particularly in the interactions between the notary and the artists.
- Social Commentary — It critiques social norms and the art world, highlighting the contrasts between different social classes.
- Realism — The depiction of everyday life and realistic characters reflects the principles of realism in literature.
Tags
Satire · Social Commentary · Dark Humor · French Literature · Realism · Short Story · Irony · Critique of Bourgeoisie · Class Struggle · Morality · Moral Ambiguity · Absurdity