Cope on the Edge of Things
The novel revolves around a young woman's struggle to maintain her independence and individuality within the constraints of societal expectations. It explores themes of identity, morality, and the tension between personal desires and social obligations. The story takes place in a small town where everyone knows each other's business, making it difficult for the protagonist to keep her secrets hidden.
By Henry Blake Fuller · First published 1893 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Adventure, Nature Writing · 2,575 words
First lines
The adventurer in Duneland hardly knows, as he works his way through one of the infrequent "blowouts," whether to thank Nature for her aid or to tax her with her cruelty. She offers few other means of reaching the water save for these nicks in the edges of the great cup; yet it is possible enough to view her as a careless and reckless handmaiden busily devastating the cosmical china-closet. The "blowout" is a tragedy, and the cause of further tragedy. The north winds, in the impetus gathered through a long, unimpeded flight over three hundred miles of water, ceaselessly try and test the sandy bulwarks for a slightest opening. The flaw once found, the work of devastation and desolation begins; and, once begun, it continues without cessation. Every hurricane cuts a wider and deeper gash, fills the air with clouds of loose sand, and gives sinister addition to the white shifting heaps and fields that steal slowly yet unrelentingly over the green hinterland of forest which lies below the southern slopes. Trees yet to die stand in passive bands at their feet; the stark, black trunks of trees long dead rise here and there in spots where the sand-glacier has done its work of ruin and passed on.
What this Textopian page supports
Cope on the Edge of Things is listed on Textopian as a novel by Henry Blake Fuller, dated 1893 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Henry Blake Fuller
- Date: 1893 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Literary Fiction, Adventure, Nature Writing, Philosophical Fiction, Coming-of-Age
- Length: 2,575 words
- Structure: 1 section, 65 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Cope on the Edge of Things by Henry Blake Fuller
- 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 Cope on the Edge of Things?
- How does this novel by Henry Blake Fuller fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Literary Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- Cope Dines And Tells About It by Henry Blake Fuller
- Cope Among Crosscurrents by Henry Blake Fuller
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- Wet The Clay by Helen Hunt Jackson
- Timothys Quest by Kate Douglas Wiggin
Genres
- Literary Fiction — The work focuses on character development, introspective themes, and the exploration of human relationships and nature.
- Adventure — The narrative involves a journey through a unique landscape, highlighting the characters' physical experiences and interactions with their environment.
- Nature Writing — The vivid descriptions of the natural setting and its impact on the characters are central to the narrative.
- Philosophical Fiction — The dialogue reflects deeper philosophical inquiries about life, relationships, and human behavior.
Tags
American Literature · Chicago Setting · Coming-of-Age Story · Domestic Drama · Family Conflict · Gentrification · Historical Fiction · Immigration · Inner City Life · Literary Realism · Middle Class Values · Nostalgia