The Mandarin and the Butterfly

Name: The Mandarin and the Butterfly
Author: L. Frank Baum

This story revolves around a young girl who lives with her father, a scholar of the Confucian classics. She is fascinated by Western culture and longs to experience it firsthand. The father's death sets off a chain of events that leads to her being sent to live in the West. She marries an American man and becomes disillusioned with his lack of intellectual curiosity. Her husband's business ventures fail, and they are forced to return to China. Upon their return, she is shunned by society due to her Western upbringing. She finds solace in a group of intellectuals who share her love for Western culture.

By L. Frank Baum · First published 1907 · Genre: Fantasy, Children's Literature, Adventure · 2,808 words

First lines

A mandarin once lived in Kiang-ho who was so exceedingly cross and disagreeable that everyone hated him. He snarled and stormed at every person he met and was never known to laugh or be merry under any circumstances. Especially he hated boys and girls; for the boys jeered at him, which aroused his wrath, and the girls made fun of him, which hurt his pride.

What this Textopian page supports

The Mandarin and the Butterfly is listed on Textopian as a short story by L. Frank Baum, dated 1907 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Short story
Author: L. Frank Baum
Date: 1907 CE
Language: English
Genres: Fantasy, Children's Literature, Adventure, Fable, Humor
Length: 2,808 words
Structure: 1 section, 74 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for The Mandarin and the Butterfly by L. Frank Baum
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters

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How does this short story by L. Frank Baum fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Fantasy first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Fantasy — The story involves magical elements, such as a Great Book of Magic and the ability to transform children into pigs.
Children's Literature — The narrative features children as central characters and addresses themes relevant to a younger audience.
Adventure — The mandarin's journey from China to America and the butterfly's escapades provide an adventurous plot.
Fable — The story conveys moral lessons about kindness, revenge, and the consequences of one's actions.