The Lock by Guy De Maupassant (1886)

Name: The Lock
Author: Guy De Maupassant

The story revolves around a young woman who lives with her husband and son in a small town by the sea. She becomes infatuated with a sailor who has been imprisoned for murder, and begins to visit him regularly. As she spends more time with him, she starts to develop feelings for him, which eventually lead to an affair.

By Guy De Maupassant · First published 1886 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Realism, Comedy · 2,546 words

First lines

The four glasses which were standing in front of the diners were still nearly half full, which is a sign, as a general rule, that the guests are quite so. They were beginning to speak without waiting for an answer; no one took any notice of anything except what was going on inside him; voices grew louder, gestures more animated, eyes brighter.

It was a bachelors' dinner of confirmed old celibates. They had instituted this regular banquet twenty years before, christening it "The Celibate," and at the time there were fourteen of them, all fully determined never to marry. Now there were only four of them left; three were dead and the other seven were married.

What this Textopian page supports

The Lock is listed on Textopian as a short story by Guy De Maupassant, dated 1886 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: 1886 CE
Language: English
Genres: Literary Fiction, Realism, Comedy, Drama, Satire
Length: 2,546 words
Structure: 1 section, 38 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for The Lock 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
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Discussion starters

What should a reader notice first when entering The Lock?
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?

Similar titles

Genres

Literary Fiction — The work explores complex themes of love, desire, and societal norms through nuanced character interactions and introspective narrative.
Realism — The portrayal of the characters' lives and their candid discussions reflects realistic social dynamics and human behavior.
Comedy — The humorous elements arise from the characters' absurd situations and their ironic views on relationships and masculinity.
Drama — The emotional conflicts and personal revelations of the characters create a dramatic tension throughout the narrative.