A Bundle of Letters by Henry James
The novel revolves around a young American woman who travels to Europe with her aunt and cousin. She becomes embroiled in a complicated web of relationships and romantic entanglements, particularly with an older man who is already engaged to be married. The story explores themes of love, class, and cultural differences between the United States and Europe.
By Henry James · First published 1908 · Genre: Epistolary, Literary Fiction, Satire · 9 chapters · 19,243 words
First lines
September 5th, 1879.
My dear mother -- I have kept you posted as far as Tuesday week last, and, although my letter will not have reached you yet, I will begin another before my news accumulates too much. I am glad you show my letters round in the family, for I like them all to know what I am doing, and I can't write to every one, though I try to answer all reasonable expectations. But there are a great many unreasonable ones, as I suppose you know -- not yours, dear mother, for I am bound to say that you never required of me more than was natural. You see you are reaping your reward: I write to you before I write to any one else.
What this Textopian page supports
A Bundle of Letters is listed on Textopian as a short story by Henry James, dated 1908 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Henry James
- Date: 1908 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Epistolary, Literary Fiction, Satire, Comedy of Manners, Social Commentary
- Length: 19,243 words
- Structure: 9 chapters, 89 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Bundle of Letters by Henry James
- 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 Bundle of Letters?
- How does this short story by Henry James fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Epistolary first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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Genres
- Epistolary — The narrative is presented through a series of letters, making it a classic example of the epistolary genre.
- Literary Fiction — The work focuses on character development and social commentary, hallmarks of literary fiction.
- Satire — The text employs humor and irony to critique social norms and cultural differences.
- Comedy of Manners — The story explores the behaviors and customs of a particular social class, often in a humorous way.
Tags
Epistolary Fiction · Novel · 19th Century Literature · English Literature · Realism · Psychological Insight · Social Commentary · Marriage · Love · Family Dynamics · Class Differences · Morality
Contents
- From Miss Miranda Mope, in Paris, to Mrs. Abraham C. Mope, at Bangor, <Br/> Maine
- From the same to the same
- From Miss Violet Ray, in Paris, to Miss Agnes Rich, in New York
- From Louis Leverett, in Paris, to Harvard Tremont, in Boston
- From Miranda Hope to her Mother
- From Miss Evelyn Vane, in Paris, to the Lady Augusta Fleming, at <Br/> Brighton
- From Leon Verdier, in Paris, to Prosper Gobain, at Lille
- From Dr. Rudolf Staub, in Paris, to Dr. Julius Hirsch, at Gottingen
- Miranda Hope to her Mother