The Liar by Henry James (1905)
A young American woman travels to Europe and becomes infatuated with a charismatic but untrustworthy man who may be using her for his own gain. As she becomes more deeply embroiled in their relationship, she begins to question everything about him, including his true identity and intentions.
By Henry James · First published 1905 · Genre: Psychological Fiction, Drama, Literary Fiction · 3 chapters · 24,125 words
First lines
The train was half an hour late and the drive from the station longer than he had supposed, so that when he reached the house its inmates had dispersed to dress for dinner and he was conducted straight to his room. The curtains were drawn in this asylum, the candles were lighted, the fire was bright, and when the servant had quickly put out his clothes the comfortable little place became suggestive -- seemed to promise a pleasant house, a various party, talks, acquaintances, affinities, to say nothing of very good cheer. He was too occupied with his profession to pay many country visits, but he had heard people who had more time for them speak of establishments where 'they do you very well. ' He foresaw that the proprietors of Stayes would do him very well. In his bedroom at a country house he always looked first at the books on the shelf and the prints on the walls; he considered that these things gave a sort of measure of the culture and even of the character of his hosts.
What this Textopian page supports
The Liar is listed on Textopian as a novel by Henry James, 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: Henry James
- Date: 1905 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Psychological Fiction, Drama, Literary Fiction, Social Commentary
- Length: 24,125 words
- Structure: 3 chapters, 407 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Liar by Henry James
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Discussion starters
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- How does this novel by Henry James fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Psychological Fiction first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Psychological Fiction — The narrative delves deeply into the psychological motivations and inner conflicts of the characters.
- Drama — The story is driven by intense interpersonal conflicts and emotional themes.
- Literary Fiction — The writing style is sophisticated, focusing on character development and thematic depth.
- Social Commentary — The plot explores societal norms and the impact of deception on relationships.
Tags
Psychological Fiction · Philosophical Themes · Moral Ambiguity · Deception · Lying · Identity Crisis · Social Commentary · Class Satire · American Expatriate · European Setting · Marriage · Infidelity