Kipps by H.G. Wells (1905)

Name: Kipps
Author: H.G. Wells

The narrative follows the life of a young man named Kipps, who grows up in a small English town under the care of his aunt and uncle after being separated from his mother. As he navigates his childhood, he grapples with feelings of social class and identity, attending a middle-class academy that shapes his understanding of the world. His upbringing is marked by a lack of playmates and the strict expectations of his guardians, leading him to form a friendship with Sid Pornick, the son of a local haberdasher. As Kipps matures, he experiences his first crush on Ann Pornick, Sid's sister, but his life takes a turn when he learns he is to be apprenticed to a draper in Folkestone. The apprenticeship is grueling, filled with menial tasks and a demanding employer, Mr. Shalford, who embodies the harsh realities of retail trade. Kipps feels trapped in a life devoid of excitement and opportunity, longing for something greater. His fortunes change dramatically when he receives news of an inheritance from a grandfather he never knew, amounting to a substantial sum of money. This newfound wealth opens doors for Kipps, allowing him to envision a life beyond the confines of his previous existence. However, he struggles with the responsibilities that come with wealth and the expectations of society. Kipps' journey is marked by encounters with various characters, including the ambitious playwright Chitterlow, who becomes a mentor figure, encouraging Kipps to embrace his potential. As Kipps navigates his new social status, he grapples with feelings of inadequacy and the fear of losing his identity amidst the expectations of the upper class. Throughout the story, themes of class, identity, and the pursuit of happiness are explored as Kipps attempts to reconcile his past with his present. His relationships with Ann, Chitterlow, and his family shape his understanding of love, ambition, and the complexities of social dynamics. Ultimately, Kipps' journey reflects the struggles of a young man seeking to find his place in a rapidly changing world, balancing the allure of wealth with the desire for genuine connection and fulfillment.

By H.G. Wells · First published 1905 · Genre: Social Satire, Coming-of-Age, Comedy · 18 chapters · 135,819 words

First lines

Until he was nearly arrived at adolescence it did not become clear to Kipps how it was that he was under the care of an aunt and uncle instead of having a father and mother like other boys. Yet he had vague memories of a somewhere else that was not New Romney -- of a dim room, a window looking down on white buildings -- and of a someone else who talked to forgotten people, and who was his mother. He could not recall her features very distinctly, but he remembered with extreme definition a white dress she wore, with a pattern of little sprigs of flowers and little bows of ribbon upon it, and a girdle of straight-ribbed white ribbon about the waist. Linked with this, he knew not how, were clouded half-obliterated recollections of scenes in which there was weeping, weeping in which he was inscrutably moved to join. Some terrible tall man with a loud voice played a part in these scenes, and either before or after them there were impressions of looking for interminable periods out of the windows of railway trains in the company of these two people.

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Kipps is listed on Textopian as a novel by H.G. Wells, dated 1905 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Novel
Author: H.G. Wells
Date: 1905 CE
Language: English
Genres: Social Satire, Coming-of-Age, Comedy, Realism, Fiction
Length: 135,819 words
Structure: 18 chapters, 2,851 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

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Discussion starters

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Similar titles

Genres

Social Satire — The novel critiques social class and the impact of wealth on personal identity.
Coming-of-Age — The protagonist, Kipps, undergoes significant personal growth and self-discovery throughout the story.
Comedy — The narrative employs humor to explore the absurdities of social status and human behavior.
Realism — The book presents a realistic portrayal of early 20th-century English society and its class dynamics.