The Token by May Sinclair (1920)
The Token is a novel by May Sinclair, first published in 1916. It tells the story of a young woman, Mary Barfoot, who is struggling to find her place in the world. She is a spinster, living alone in a small cottage in the English countryside, and she is determined to make her own way in life. Mary is a strong-willed and independent woman, and she is determined to make her own way in the world. She takes a job as a governess for a wealthy family, and soon finds herself in a complicated love triangle between her employer, his son, and a young woman from the village. As Mary navigates her way through the complexities of love and life, she discovers that she must make a choice between her own desires and the expectations of society. The Token is a powerful and moving story of a woman's struggle to find her place in a world that is often hostile to independent women. It is a story of love, loss, and ultimately, self-discovery.
By May Sinclair · First published 1920 · Genre: Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction · 3 chapters · 4,189 words
First lines
I have only known one absolutely adorable woman, and that was my brother's wife, Cicely Dunbar.
Sisters-in-law do not, I think, invariably adore each other, and I am aware that my chief merit in Cicely's eyes was that I am Donald's sister; but for me there was no question of extraneous quality--it was all pure Cicely.
What this Textopian page supports
The Token is listed on Textopian as a novel by May Sinclair, dated 1920 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: May Sinclair
- Date: 1920 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction
- Length: 4,189 words
- Structure: 3 chapters, 202 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Token by May Sinclair
- 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 The Token?
- How does this novel by May Sinclair fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fiction first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Fiction — The Token is a novel written by May Sinclair, making it a work of fiction.
- Romance — The Token follows the story of two people in love, making it a romance novel.
- Historical Fiction — The Token is set in the early 20th century, making it a historical fiction novel.
- Literary Fiction — The Token is written in a literary style, making it a literary fiction novel.
Tags
modernism · feminism · identity · psychological · social commentary · British literature · gender roles · class struggle · narrative style · character study · emotional conflict · early 20th century