In the Border Country
The novel explores the lives of a family living on the border between two cultures, struggling to maintain their identity and traditions in the face of encroaching modernity. The story revolves around the mother's efforts to preserve her heritage and pass it down to her children, while also navigating the complexities of her own relationships with her husband and community.
By Josephine Daskam Bacon · First published 1919 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance · 3 chapters · 25,182 words
First lines
The woman who told me this, and other strange tales which I may one day try to put together, had no gift of writing, but only a pathetic regard for those who had. I say pathetic, because to me her extraordinary experiences so far outvalue the tinkling art of recording them as to make her simple admiration for the artist little short of absurd. She had herself a pretty talent for painting, of which I knew her to have made much in the years before we met. It was, indeed, because I remembered what hopes she had encouraged in her teachers in this and older countries, and how eagerly she had laboured at her craft, finding no trick of technique too slight, no repetition too arduous, no sacrifice too great, if only they might justify their faith in her, that I asked her one day, when I had come to know her well, why it was that she had stopped so suddenly in the work that many of us had learned to know before we knew her. For now she paints only quaint toys for her many lovely children, or designs beautiful gardens for her husband, himself an able artist and her first teacher, or works at the wonderful robes in which he paints her, burning in the autumn woods or mist-like through spring boughs.
What this Textopian page supports
In the Border Country is listed on Textopian as a novel by Josephine Daskam Bacon, dated 1919 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Josephine Daskam Bacon
- Date: 1919 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Coming-of-Age, Drama
- Length: 25,182 words
- Structure: 3 chapters, 568 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for In the Border Country by Josephine Daskam Bacon
- 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 In the Border Country?
- How does this novel by Josephine Daskam Bacon fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Literary Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Casting Vote by Mary Noailles Murfree
- The Patchwork School by Mary E. Wilkins
- Jane Lavinia by Lucy Maud Montgomery
- A Strayed Allegiance by Lucy Maud Montgomery
- The Closed Door by Marjorie Pickthall
- Miss Calistas Peppermint Bottle by Lucy Maud Montgomery
Genres
- Literary Fiction — The work explores complex characters and themes, focusing on human experiences and emotions.
- Historical Fiction — The setting and context reflect a specific historical period, influencing the narrative and character development.
- Romance — The plot includes romantic relationships that are central to character motivations and conflicts.
- Coming-of-Age — The narrative involves characters undergoing personal growth and self-discovery.
Tags
Regionalism · Literary Fiction · Coming-of-Age · Family Drama · Social Commentary · Rural Life · Small-Town America · Female Protagonist · Autobiographical Elements · Nostalgia · Memory · Identity