A Correspondence and a Climax
The story revolves around the correspondence between two individuals who share their innermost thoughts and feelings with each other through letters. As they exchange these letters, a deep emotional connection develops between them. Their relationship reaches its climax when one of them makes a bold declaration of love, which sets off a chain reaction of events that ultimately leads to a dramatic confrontation. The narrative explores themes of love, identity, and the complexities of human relationships, raising questions about the nature of intimacy and the consequences of emotional vulnerability.
By Lucy Maud Montgomery · First published 1927 · Genre: Romance, Coming-of-Age, Epistolary · 5,068 words
First lines
At sunset Sidney hurried to her room to take off the soiled and faded cotton dress she had worn while milking. She had milked eight cows and pumped water for the milk-cans afterward in the fag-end of a hot summer day. She did that every night, but tonight she had hurried more than usual because she wanted to get her letter written before the early farm bedtime. She had been thinking it out while she milked the cows in the stuffy little pen behind the barn. This monthly letter was the only pleasure and stimulant in her life. Existence would have been, so Sidney thought, a dreary, unbearable blank without it. She cast aside her milking-dress with a thrill of distaste that tingled to her rosy fingertips. As she slipped into her blue-print afternoon dress her aunt called to her from below. Sidney ran out to the dark little entry and leaned over the stair railing. Below in the kitchen there was a hubbub of laughing, crying, quarrelling children, and a reek of bad tobacco smoke drifted up to the girl's disgusted nostrils.
What this Textopian page supports
A Correspondence and a Climax is listed on Textopian as a short story by Lucy Maud Montgomery, dated 1927 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Lucy Maud Montgomery
- Date: 1927 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Romance, Coming-of-Age, Epistolary, Literary Fiction, Historical Fiction
- Length: 5,068 words
- Structure: 1 section, 71 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Correspondence and a Climax by Lucy Maud Montgomery
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering A Correspondence and a Climax?
- How does this short story by Lucy Maud Montgomery fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Romance first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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- Miss Madelines Proposal by Lucy Maud Montgomery
- Margarets Patient by Lucy Maud Montgomery
- Kilmeny Of The Orchard by Lucy Maud Montgomery
- The Finished Story by Lucy Maud Montgomery
Genres
- Romance — The central plot revolves around the emotional and romantic development between Sidney and John Lincoln, highlighting themes of love and connection.
- Coming-of-Age — The protagonist's journey reflects her growth and self-discovery as she navigates her identity and aspirations.
- Epistolary — The narrative is structured around letters exchanged between characters, emphasizing communication and personal expression.
- Literary Fiction — The work explores complex themes and character development, focusing on the subtleties of human experience.
Tags
Romance · Fiction · Novel · Canadian Literature · Classic · Historical Fiction · Coming of Age · Love Story · Small Town Life · Family Drama · Social Class · Marriage