A Day on a Selection by Henry Lawson
The story revolves around a group of men who work together on a selection, a plot of land they are trying to clear and cultivate. The narrative explores their struggles with the harsh Australian environment, their relationships with each other, and their individual motivations for working on the land. Through their experiences, the story highlights the challenges faced by rural workers in Australia during this period.
By Henry Lawson · First published 1894 · Genre: Realism, Short Story, Australian Literature · 2,652 words
First lines
The scene is a small New South Wales western selection, the holder whereof is native-English. His wife is native-Irish. Time, Sunday, about 8 a.m. A used-up looking woman comes from the slab-and-bark house, turns her face towards the hillside, and shrieks:
"T-o-o-m_may_!"
What this Textopian page supports
A Day on a Selection is listed on Textopian as a short story by Henry Lawson, dated 1894 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 Lawson
- Date: 1894 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Realism, Short Story, Australian Literature, Humor, Social Commentary
- Length: 2,652 words
- Structure: 1 section, 51 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Day on a Selection by Henry Lawson
- 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 Day on a Selection?
- How does this short story by Henry Lawson fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Realism first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Realism — The narrative provides a detailed and unembellished depiction of everyday life on a rural selection, focusing on the mundane and harsh realities faced by the characters.
- Short Story — The work is structured as a concise narrative focusing on a specific event or series of events within a limited timeframe, typical of short stories.
- Australian Literature — The setting, characters, and cultural references are distinctly Australian, reflecting the rural life and social conditions of the time.
- Humor — The story contains elements of humor, particularly in the depiction of the characters' interactions and the absurdity of their daily struggles.
Tags
Australian Literature · Short Story Collection · Realism · Social Commentary · Poverty · Working Class Life · Rural Australia · Outback · Isolation · Loneliness · Hardship · Survival