Flickerbridge by Henry James (1909)

Name: Flickerbridge
Author: Henry James

The novel revolves around a young American woman who travels to Europe with her cousin and becomes embroiled in a complex web of relationships and social expectations. As she navigates the complexities of European high society, she must confront her own desires and sense of identity. The story explores themes of cultural differences, class distinctions, and the constraints placed on women during this period. The protagonist's experiences serve as a commentary on the societal norms of the time, highlighting the tensions between tradition and modernity.

By Henry James · First published 1909 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Romance, Social Commentary · 6 chapters · 11,517 words

First lines

Frank Granger had arrived from Paris to paint a portrait -- an order given him, as a young compatriot with a future, whose early work would some day have a price, by a lady from New York, a friend of his own people and also, as it happened, of Addie's, the young woman to whom it was publicly both affirmed and denied that he was engaged. Other young women in Paris -- fellow-members there of the little tight transpontine world of art-study -- professed to know that the pair had "several times" over renewed their fond understanding. This, however, was their own affair; the last phase of the relation, the last time of the times, had passed into vagueness; there was perhaps even an impression that if they were inscrutable to their friends they were not wholly crystalline to each other and themselves. What had occurred for Granger at all events in connexion with the portrait was that Mrs. Bracken, his intending model, whose return to America was at hand, had suddenly been called to London by her husband, occupied there with pressing business, but had yet desired that her displacement should not interrupt her sittings. The young man, at her request, had followed her to England and profited by all she could give him, making shift with a small studio lent him by a London painter whom he had known and liked a few years before in the French atelier that then cradled, and that continued to cradle, so many of their kind.

What this Textopian page supports

Flickerbridge is listed on Textopian as a short story by Henry James, dated 1909 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: 1909 CE
Language: English
Genres: Literary Fiction, Romance, Social Commentary, Psychological Fiction, Comedy of Manners
Length: 11,517 words
Structure: 6 chapters, 70 paragraphs
Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)

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Similar titles

Genres

Literary Fiction — The narrative focuses on character development, social interactions, and the subtleties of human relationships, typical of literary fiction.
Romance — The story involves romantic elements, particularly the ambiguous relationship between Frank Granger and Addie.
Social Commentary — The text explores themes of social class, cultural differences, and the impact of modernity on traditional values.
Psychological Fiction — The work delves into the psychological states and motivations of its characters, especially Granger's internal conflicts.