Desk and Debit by Oliver Optic
In "Desk and Debit," Oliver Optic tells the story of a young man on a quest to reunite with his estranged mother, all while uncovering family secrets and navigating deception, personal growth, and adventure. The narrative explores themes of resilience and the complexities of familial relationships against a backdrop of tension and intrigue.
By Oliver Optic · First published 1879 · Genre: Adventure, Young Adult, Fiction · 28 chapters · 72,830 words
First lines
"I must go to Chicago, father," said I, one evening, after we had been discussing our domestic relations with more than usual earnestness.
"Why go to Chicago, Philip? What put that idea into your head? " replied my father, with a kind of deprecatory smile.
What this Textopian page supports
Desk and Debit is listed on Textopian as a novel by Oliver Optic, dated 1879 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Oliver Optic
- Date: 1879 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Adventure, Young Adult, Fiction, Historical, Coming-of-Age
- Length: 72,830 words
- Structure: 28 chapters, 2,075 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Desk and Debit by Oliver Optic
- 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 Desk and Debit?
- How does this novel by Oliver Optic fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Adventure first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- Try Again by Oliver Optic
- Little By Little by Oliver Optic
- The Soldier Boy by Oliver Optic
- Fighting For The Right by Oliver Optic
- Down The Rhine by Oliver Optic
- A Lieutenant At Eighteen by Oliver Optic
Genres
- Adventure — The plot involves exploration and challenges faced by characters, typical of adventure narratives.
- Young Adult — The themes and characters are geared towards a younger audience, focusing on growth and discovery.
- Fiction — The book is a work of fiction, presenting a narrative that is not based on real events.
- Historical — The setting and context may reflect historical elements relevant to the time period.
Tags
Coming-of-age · Adventure · Nautical fiction · Young adult literature · Classic novel · American literature · 19th-century literature · Sea stories · Boy's adventure story · Pirate fiction · Shipwreck · Survival story
Contents
- In which Phil has a Talk with his Father, and Reviews his Past History
- In which Phil Starts for Chicago, and Hears a Familiar Name
- In which Phil Makes the Acquaintance of Mrs. Whippleton
- In which Phil is Chivalrous, but has his Eyes Opened
- In which Phil Takes a Room at Mrs. Whippleton's Boarding-House
- In which Phil is Engaged as Entry Clerk for Collingsby and Whippleton
- In which Phil Takes his Place at the Desk, and is Engaged for a Year
- In which Phil Takes a Sail on the Lake with Mr. Whippleton
- In which Phil Attempts to Make out a Trial Balance
- In which Phil is Perplexed about Certain Invoices
- In which Phil Takes Charge of Mrs. Whippleton's Earthly Treasure
- In which Phil Visits the House of Mr. Collingsby, and Sees Miss Marian
- In which Phil Looks into the Operations of the Junior Partner
- In which Phil Meets with a Serious Catastrophe
- In which Phil Goes to Work in the Cook-Room of the Marian
- In which Phil Promises not to Desert Miss Collingsby
- In which Phil Puts a Check on the Operations of Mr. Ben Waterford
- In which Phil Protests with the Boat-Hook, but is Protested
- In which Phil Profits by Circumstances, and Weighs Anchor in the Marian
- In which Phil Sails the Marian Across Lake Michigan
- In which Phil Answers some Inquiries about the Fawn, and other Matters
- In which Phil is Bewildered, and the Marian Sails for Chicago
- In which Phil, in the Marian, Gets the Weather-Gage of the Florina
- In which Phil Goes to Sleep, and his Severest Catastrophe Comes
- In which Phil Suffers Much Pain, and Marian is very Resolute
- In which Phil Finds the Tables Turned, and the Marian Runs into Chicago River
- In which Phil Visits Mr. Collingsby again, and is a Hero in Spite of himself
- In which Phil Moralizes Upon Worldly Wisdom, and Bids Farewell to Desk and Debit