The Mouse by James Oliver Curwood
The story revolves around a young trapper who befriends a wild mouse and learns about the importance of friendship and loyalty. The trapper's life is forever changed by his encounter with the mouse, which teaches him valuable lessons about trust and companionship.
By James Oliver Curwood · First published 1919 · Genre: Adventure, Drama, Thriller · 7,098 words
First lines
"Why, you ornery little cuss," said Falkner, pausing with a forkful of beans half way to his mouth. "Where in God A'mighty's name did YOU come from?"
It was against all of Jim's crude but honest ethics of the big wilderness to take the Lord's name in vain, and the words he uttered were filled more with the softness of a prayer than the harshness of profanity. He was big, and his hands were hard and knotted, and his face was covered with a coarse red scrub of beard. But his hair was blond, and his eyes were blue, and just now they were filled with unbounded amazement. Slowly the fork loaded with beans descended to his plate, and he said again, barely above a whisper:
What this Textopian page supports
The Mouse is listed on Textopian as a short story by James Oliver Curwood, dated 1919 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: James Oliver Curwood
- Date: 1919 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Adventure, Drama, Thriller, Psychological Fiction, Crime
- Length: 7,098 words
- Structure: 1 section, 95 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Mouse by James Oliver Curwood
- 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 The Mouse?
- How does this short story by James Oliver Curwood fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Adventure first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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Genres
- Adventure — The narrative centers around survival in the wilderness, a chase, and the protagonist's journey, which are key elements of adventure.
- Drama — The story explores deep emotional themes such as loneliness, guilt, and redemption, which are central to drama.
- Thriller — The tension between Falkner and Corporal Carr, along with the threat of capture, adds a suspenseful and thrilling element.
- Psychological Fiction — The protagonist's mental state, his loneliness, and his interactions with the mouse delve into psychological aspects.
Tags
Adventure · Animal Fiction · Classic Novel · Coming-of-Age · Drama · Environmentalism · Family · Friendship · Historical Fiction · Literary Fiction · Nature · Novel