Bogg of Geebung by Henry Lawson
The story revolves around a young man who returns to his rural home after years away and struggles to adapt to the harsh realities of country life. He faces challenges from the land itself, as well as from the people he encounters, including his family and neighbors. The narrative explores themes of isolation, poverty, and the difficulties of living off the land in a remote area.
By Henry Lawson · First published 1896 · Genre: Short Story, Realism, Tragedy · 1,229 words
First lines
At the local police court, where the subject of this sketch turned up periodically amongst the drunks, he had "James" prefixed to his name for the sake of convenience and as a matter of form previous to his being fined forty shillings (which he never paid) and sentenced to "a month hard" (which he contrived to make as soft as possible). The local larrikins called him "Grog," a very appropriate name, all things considered; but to the Geebung Times he was known until the day of his death as "a well-known character named Bogg. " The antipathy of the local paper might have been accounted for by the fact that Bogg strayed into the office one day in a muddled condition during the absence of the staff at lunch and corrected a revise proof of the next week's leader, placing bracketed "query" and "see proof" marks opposite the editor's most flowery periods and quotations, and leaving on the margin some general advice to the printers to "space better."
What this Textopian page supports
Bogg of Geebung is listed on Textopian as a short story by Henry Lawson, dated 1896 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: 1896 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Short Story, Realism, Tragedy, Character Study, Social Commentary
- Length: 1,229 words
- Structure: 1 section, 26 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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- Work identity for Bogg of Geebung by Henry Lawson
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Similar titles
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Genres
- Short Story — The work is a brief narrative focusing on a single character and event, typical of short stories.
- Realism — The narrative presents a realistic portrayal of life and society, focusing on everyday events and characters.
- Tragedy — The story ends with the protagonist's death, highlighting themes of personal downfall and despair.
- Character Study — The work delves deeply into the life and personality of the central character, Bogg.
Tags
Australian Literature · Short Story Collection · Humor · Satire · Social Commentary · Regionalism · Rural Life · Working Class · Class Struggle · Poverty · Exploitation · Labor Rights