Raymond by John Lang (1862)

Name: Raymond
Author: John Lang

Raymond is a story about a young man who is struggling to find his place in the world. He is a talented artist, but his family and friends don't understand his passion. He is constantly trying to prove himself to them, but his efforts are often met with criticism and ridicule. Raymond's life takes a dramatic turn when he meets a mysterious woman who encourages him to pursue his dreams. With her help, he begins to explore his creative side and discovers a newfound confidence. But as his success grows, so does the pressure from his family and friends. Raymond must decide if he will follow his heart or succumb to the expectations of those around him. Along the way, he learns valuable lessons about love, friendship, and the importance of following one's dreams.

By John Lang · First published 1862 · Genre: Fiction, Drama, Romance · 13 chapters · 26,262 words

First lines

IT was a sad day for Henry Raymond, when, at ten years of age, he quitted, for the first time, his parents' roof for the public grammar-school at Belford-upon-Thames. Being her only surviving child, and, as such, brought up by his mother with great tenderness, he deeply felt the shock of separation from her; and, as the post-chaise rattled along the high western road, his father, who accompanied him, had no little difficulty in keeping up his son's spirits, whose young heart quite sunk within him at the idea of the weeks and months that might elapse before he should again see his mother. Nor is this grief to be wondered at; for the change from home to school, where he has to "rough it" every hour of his life, is, to a susceptible and delicately-nurtured child, as painful and startling a one as it is possible to conceive. All is so repulsive--so unlike what he has been used to! The sky-blue milk, with the tiny penny roll for breakfast; the half-cold leg of fat Leicestershire mutton, washed down with indifferent swipes, for dinner; the thick wedge of stale bread, and Lilliputian allowance of the cheapest cheese, for supper; the loud ringing of the school bell in the morning, that rouses you from a dream of home to the drudgery of syntax and prosody; the awful master, with his cane and birch, cast-iron visage, and thundering voice; the tyrannical fagging system; the confinement on long winter evenings to the dim-lit, uncarpeted hall, where you have to fight for a seat by the fireside; the hard bed, shared perhaps with a bigger boy, who doubles the bolster under his own head, borrows your share of the sheets and blankets, and kicks you out if you are so unreasonable as to remonstrate; --all these, to say nothing of various minor miseries, have a most blighting effect on the feelings of a young and sensitive boy; and Henry Raymond felt them so acutely, that, for nearly a fortnight after the return of his father to London, not a night passed but his pillow was wet with tears.

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Raymond is listed on Textopian as a novel by John Lang, dated 1862 CE.

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Work type: Novel
Author: John Lang
Date: 1862 CE
Language: English
Genres: Fiction, Drama, Romance, Mystery
Length: 26,262 words
Structure: 13 chapters, 328 paragraphs
Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)

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Discussion starters

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How does this novel by John Lang fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
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Genres

Fiction — The book is a work of fiction, as it is written by John Lang and is not based on real events.
Drama — The book is likely to contain dramatic elements, as it is a work of fiction and may contain characters and events that evoke strong emotions.
Romance — The book may contain romantic elements, as it is a work of fiction and may contain characters and events that evoke strong emotions of love and attraction.
Mystery — The book may contain mystery elements, as it is a work of fiction and may contain characters and events that evoke a sense of suspense and intrigue.