Comfort Pease and her Gold Ring
The narrative follows a young girl named Comfort Pease, who is deeply attached to a gold ring and a gold dollar given to her by her Aunt Comfort. The ring is too large for her to wear, and her mother insists she must wait until her fingers grow to fit it. Comfort's longing to wear the ring leads her to a series of challenges at school, where her classmates tease her about it, causing her distress and feelings of inadequacy. When Comfort finally decides to wear the ring to school, her teacher, Miss Tabitha Hanks, discovers it and pins it in her pocket for safekeeping. However, Comfort later realizes that the ring is missing, leading her to panic and feel guilty for having taken it against her mother's wishes. She and her friend Matilda Stebbins attempt to buy a new ring with a gold dollar Matilda's uncle gave her, but Comfort's anxiety about her mother's potential reaction overwhelms her. After a series of misadventures, including a failed trip to Bolton to buy a new ring, Comfort confesses to her mother about taking the ring and losing it. To her surprise, her mother reveals that Miss Tabitha found the ring and returned it, having suspected Comfort's secret. This revelation brings Comfort relief and a lesson in honesty and responsibility. In the end, Comfort receives a new ring that fits her finger, symbolizing her growth and the resolution of her earlier struggles. The story concludes with Comfort feeling a sense of accomplishment and belonging, as she is recognized by her peers and rewarded for her efforts in school. The narrative emphasizes themes of childhood innocence, the importance of honesty, and the journey of growing up.
By Mary E. Wilkins · First published 1891 · Genre: Children's Literature, Coming-of-Age, Realism · 13,765 words
First lines
One of the first things which Comfort remembered being told was that she had been named for her Aunt Comfort, who had given her a gold ring and a gold dollar for her name. Comfort could not understand why. It always seemed to her that her aunt, and not she, had given the name, and that she should have given the ring and the dollar; but that was what her mother had told her. "Your Aunt Comfort gave you this beautiful gold ring and this gold dollar for your name," said she.
What this Textopian page supports
Comfort Pease and her Gold Ring is listed on Textopian as a novel by Mary E. Wilkins, dated 1891 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Mary E. Wilkins
- Date: 1891 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Children's Literature, Coming-of-Age, Realism, Fiction, Moral Tale
- Length: 13,765 words
- Structure: 1 section, 320 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Comfort Pease and her Gold Ring by Mary E. Wilkins
- 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 Comfort Pease and her Gold Ring?
- How does this novel by Mary E. Wilkins fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Children's Literature first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Children's Literature — The story centers around a young girl, Comfort Pease, and her experiences, making it primarily aimed at a child audience.
- Coming-of-Age — The narrative explores Comfort's growth, her struggles with vanity, and the lessons she learns about honesty and responsibility.
- Realism — The story depicts everyday life in a rural setting, focusing on relatable characters and situations without fantastical elements.
- Fiction — The work is a fictional narrative that tells a story about Comfort's life and her interactions with family and peers.
Tags
Coming-of-age · Feminism · Social class · Marriage · Love · Family dynamics · Small-town life · Isolation · Loneliness · Self-discovery · Identity crisis · Morality