The Criminal by Kahlil Gibran (1931)
The Criminal is a novel by Kahlil Gibran, the renowned Lebanese-American poet and philosopher. It tells the story of a young man, Ali, who is sent to prison for a crime he did not commit. While in prison, Ali struggles to come to terms with his unjust imprisonment and the harsh realities of life in a prison cell. He is forced to confront his own inner demons and the harshness of the criminal justice system. As he struggles to survive, Ali discovers a newfound strength and courage within himself, and ultimately finds redemption. The novel is a powerful exploration of the human spirit and its capacity for resilience and transformation.
By Kahlil Gibran · First published 1931 · Genre: Philosophical Fiction, Mystery, Drama · 413 words
First lines
A young man of strong body, weakened by hunger, sat on the walker's portion of the street stretching his hand toward all who passed, begging and repeating his hand toward all who passed, begging and repeating the sad song of his defeat in life, while suffering from hunger and from humiliation.
When night came, his lips and tongue were parched, while his hand was still as empty as his stomach.
What this Textopian page supports
The Criminal is listed on Textopian as a short story by Kahlil Gibran, dated 1931 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Kahlil Gibran
- Date: 1931 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Philosophical Fiction, Mystery, Drama, Literary Fiction
- Length: 413 words
- Structure: 1 section, 14 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Criminal by Kahlil Gibran
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Criminal?
- How does this short story by Kahlil Gibran fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Philosophical Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- Leaves Of Grass by Walt Whitman
- The Madman His Parables And Poems by Kahlil Gibran
- The Forerunner by Kahlil Gibran
- Look We Have Come Through by D. H. Lawrence
- Antithesis by Leigh Gordon Giltner
- The Angel Of Death by Johan Olof Wallin
Genres
- Philosophical Fiction — The Criminal is a philosophical novel by Kahlil Gibran, exploring the themes of justice, morality, and the consequences of crime.
- Mystery — The Criminal follows the story of a criminal who is trying to uncover the truth behind his crime and the consequences of his actions.
- Drama — The Criminal is a dramatic novel that explores the psychological and emotional effects of crime on the criminal and those around him.
- Literary Fiction — The Criminal is a literary novel that uses poetic language and symbolism to explore the themes of justice, morality, and the consequences of crime.
Tags
Criminal anthropology · Criminology · Folk · arose · begging · body · bread · city · colleagues · defeat · earth · emir