In a Wet Season by Henry Lawson
The story revolves around a young man who returns to his rural home after years away, seeking refuge from the harsh realities of city life. He finds solace in the simple pleasures of country living and reconnects with old friends and family members. However, his idyllic retreat is disrupted by the arrival of a group of itinerant workers, who bring with them their own set of problems and conflicts.
By Henry Lawson · First published 1917 · Genre: Realism, Australian Literature, Short Story · 1,669 words
First lines
It was raining -- "general rain."
The train left Bourke, and then there began the long, long agony of scrub and wire fence, with here and there a natural clearing, which seemed even more dismal than the funereal "timber" itself. The only thing which might seem in keeping with one of these soddened flats would be the ghost of a funeral -- a city funeral with plain hearse and string of cabs -- going very slowly across from the scrub on one side to the scrub on the other. Sky like a wet, grey blanket; plains like dead seas, save for the tufts of coarse grass sticking up out of the water; scrub indescribably dismal -- everything damp, dark, and unspeakably dreary.
What this Textopian page supports
In a Wet Season is listed on Textopian as a short story by Henry Lawson, dated 1917 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: 1917 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Realism, Australian Literature, Short Story, Naturalism, Social Commentary
- Length: 1,669 words
- Structure: 1 section, 19 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for In a Wet Season by Henry Lawson
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering In a Wet Season?
- 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 the Australian landscape and the lives of its inhabitants, focusing on the harsh realities and mundane aspects of rural life.
- Australian Literature — The story is set in the Australian outback and reflects the unique cultural and environmental aspects of Australia, including its geography and the experiences of its people.
- Short Story — The work is a concise narrative that focuses on a specific moment or scene, characteristic of the short story format.
- Naturalism — The narrative emphasizes the influence of the environment on human behavior and portrays characters as being shaped by their surroundings, highlighting the deterministic aspects of nature.
Tags
Australian Literature · Short Story Collection · Realism · Regional Fiction · Rural Life · Poverty · Social Commentary · Class Conflict · Outback Setting · Colonial Era · Farming Community · Hardship