Four Meetings by Henry James (1885)

Name: Four Meetings
Author: Henry James

In Four Meetings, Henry James tells the story of a young man, John Marcher, who is haunted by a mysterious and powerful sense of expectation. He is convinced that something momentous is about to happen to him, but he is never able to identify what it is. He meets four women throughout his life, each of whom he believes may be the one to reveal the secret of his destiny. The first woman he meets is May Bartram, a beautiful and enigmatic woman who he believes may be the one to reveal his fate. He is drawn to her, but she is elusive and mysterious. The second woman he meets is Mrs. Berrington, a widow who is kind and sympathetic to him. He is comforted by her presence, but she is unable to provide him with the answers he seeks. The third woman he meets is Miss Aldclyffe, a wealthy and powerful woman who is determined to control his life. He is both attracted and repelled by her, but she is unable to provide him with the answers he seeks. The fourth woman he meets is Miss Vesey, a gentle and compassionate woman who is able to provide him with the answers he seeks. Through these four meetings, John Marcher is finally able to discover the secret of his destiny. He learns that the expectation he has been feeling is not a sign of something momentous about to happen, but rather a sign of his own mortality. He is able to accept his fate and move on with his life.

By Henry James · First published 1885 · Genre: Realistic Fiction, Literary Fiction, Romance · 4 chapters · 11,219 words

First lines

The first one took place in the country, at a little tea-party, one snowy night. It must have been some seventeen years ago. My friend Latouche, going to spend Christmas with his mother, had persuaded me to go with him, and the good lady had given in our honor the entertainment of which I speak. To me it was really entertaining; I had never been in the depths of New England at that season. It had been snowing all day, and the drifts were knee-high. I wondered how the ladies had made their way to the house; but I perceived that at Grimwinter a conversazione offering the attraction of two gentlemen from New York was felt to be worth an effort.

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Four Meetings is listed on Textopian as a novel by Henry James, dated 1885 CE.

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Work type: Novel
Author: Henry James
Date: 1885 CE
Language: English
Genres: Realistic Fiction, Literary Fiction, Romance, Drama
Length: 11,219 words
Structure: 4 chapters, 312 paragraphs
Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)

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Discussion starters

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Similar titles

Genres

Realistic Fiction — Four Meetings is a realistic fiction novel that follows the lives of four characters and their interactions with each other. It is set in a realistic world and explores themes of relationships, family, and identity.
Literary Fiction — Four Meetings is a literary fiction novel written by Henry James. It is a complex and thought-provoking story that explores themes of relationships, family, and identity in a realistic setting.
Romance — Four Meetings is a romance novel that follows the lives of four characters and their interactions with each other. It explores themes of love, relationships, and family dynamics.
Drama — Four Meetings is a drama novel that follows the lives of four characters and their interactions with each other. It is a complex and thought-provoking story that explores themes of relationships, family, and identity in a realistic setting.