The Little Cask by Guy de Maupassant
A young man inherits a small cask from his uncle and becomes obsessed with the idea that it contains a large sum of money. He enlists the help of a friend to break into the cask, but when they finally open it, they find only a few coins inside. The story explores themes of greed, disappointment, and the destructive power of obsession.
By Guy de Maupassant · First published 1885 · Genre: Realism, Short Story, Drama · 2,574 words
First lines
Maître Chicot, the innkeeper, who lived at Épreville, pulled up his tilbury in front of Mother Magloire's farmhouse. He was a tall man of about forty, fat and with a red face, who was generally said to be very malicious.
He hitched his horse up to the gatepost and went in the yard. He owned some land adjoining that of the old woman. He had been coveting her plot for a long while, and had tried in vain to buy it a score of times, but she had always obstinately refused to part with it.
What this Textopian page supports
The Little Cask is listed on Textopian as a short story by Guy de Maupassant, dated 1885 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: 1885 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Realism, Short Story, Drama, Satire, Tragedy
- Length: 2,574 words
- Structure: 1 section, 67 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Little Cask by Guy de Maupassant
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Little Cask?
- How does this short story by Guy de Maupassant fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Realism first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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Genres
- Realism — The story focuses on everyday life and ordinary characters, depicting realistic social interactions and moral dilemmas.
- Short Story — The narrative is concise, focusing on a single plot and a limited number of characters, typical of the short story format.
- Drama — The plot revolves around a moral conflict and the consequences of greed, creating tension and emotional impact.
- Satire — The story critiques human greed and folly through irony and exaggeration, particularly in the characters' actions and motivations.
Tags
French Literature · Short Story · Psychological Fiction · Realism · Symbolism · Mystery · Thriller · Suspense · Dark Humor · Satire · Social Commentary · Class Struggle