Dump - a Plain Girl by L.T. Meade
The story revolves around a young girl who lives with her aunt and uncle after being abandoned by her mother. The girl's life changes when she meets a wealthy family who take an interest in her. She becomes embroiled in their complex relationships, including a romance between the daughter of the household and a man from a lower social class.
By L.T. Meade · First published 1889 · Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Coming-of-Age, Social Issues · 27 chapters · 105,502 words
First lines
The boys were most troublesome. They never would mind in the very least when father had one of his worst headaches. It was not that they did not try to be good -- I will say that Alex had the kindest heart, and that Charley was good-natured too -- but it seemed to me as though they could not walk quietly; they would stump upstairs, and they would go heavily across the big attic where they slept, and father was so fearfully sensitive; the least sound made him start up, and then he would get into a sort of frenzy and hardly know what he was doing. He would call out to the boys and thunder to them to be quiet; and then his head was worse than ever. Oh, it was all dreadful -- dreadful! I sometimes did not know what to do.
What this Textopian page supports
Dump - a Plain Girl is listed on Textopian as a novel by L.T. Meade, dated 1889 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: L.T. Meade
- Date: 1889 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Young Adult Fiction, Coming-of-Age, Social Issues, Realistic Fiction, Romance
- Length: 105,502 words
- Structure: 27 chapters, 2,778 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Dump - a Plain Girl by L.T. Meade
- 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 Dump - a Plain Girl?
- How does this novel by L.T. Meade fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Young Adult Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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Genres
- Young Adult Fiction — The narrative focuses on the experiences and challenges faced by a young girl, making it relatable to a teenage audience.
- Coming-of-Age — The story explores themes of personal growth, identity, and self-acceptance as the protagonist navigates her adolescence.
- Social Issues — The plot addresses societal expectations and the struggles of fitting in, highlighting social dynamics and class differences.
- Realistic Fiction — The characters and situations are grounded in reality, reflecting everyday life and relatable experiences.
Tags
Victorian Era Fiction · Girls' School Story · Coming-of-Age Novel · Social Class Satire · Orphan Protagonist · Female Friendship · Morality Tale · Christian Values · Education as Liberation · Class Conflict · Social Commentary · Realistic Portrayal
Contents
- A Lesson in Patience
- The New Order of Things
- The Poached Egg
- A Quarterly Allowance
- A Welcome Caller
- Christmas in the Country
- Miss Grace Donnithorne
- Christmas Day
- The Professor Chooses a Dress
- A Quiet Talk
- At Hedgerow House
- Learning to Skate
- A Surprise Tea
- A New Regime
- Home again
- Going to School
- The Professor Leaves Home
- First Impressions
- A very Queer Chum
- The Professor's Letter
- Mother's Miniature
- Consequences
- Discussing the New Mother
- The Professor's Illness
- Putting the House in Order
- Waiting to be Called
- The Professor's Return