Down the River by Oliver Optic
Down the River follows a young man's transformative journey as he grapples with his past mistakes while seeking redemption and a brighter future for himself and his sister, Flora. As he faces challenges and embraces the values of loyalty and friendship, he remains determined to clear his name and protect those he loves.
By Oliver Optic · First published 1867 · Genre: Adventure, Young Adult, Fiction · 26 chapters · 64,204 words
First lines
"Here, Buck Bradford, black my boots, and be quick about it."
That was what Ham Fishley said to me.
What this Textopian page supports
Down the River is listed on Textopian as a novel by Oliver Optic, dated 1867 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: 1867 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Adventure, Young Adult, Fiction, Historical, Coming-of-Age
- Length: 64,204 words
- Structure: 26 chapters, 1,531 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Down the River 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 Down the River?
- 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
- Field And Forest by Oliver Optic
- Down South by Oliver Optic
- Breaking Away by Oliver Optic
- Northern Lands by Oliver Optic
- Poor And Proud by Oliver Optic
- Too Far South by John Arthur Barry
Genres
- Adventure — The plot centers around a journey down a river, filled with exploration and challenges.
- Young Adult — The themes and characters are geared towards a younger audience, focusing on growth and discovery.
- Fiction — The narrative is a work of fiction, presenting imaginative scenarios and characters.
- Historical — The setting and context may reflect historical elements relevant to the time period.
Tags
Adventure · Coming-of-age · Family · Friendship · Growing up · Humor · Identity · Independence · Juvenile fiction · Literary fiction · Maturity · Nautical fiction
Contents
- Two of the Tyrants
- Flora Bradford
- On the Defensive
- Who is Master
- A Battle at Long Range
- Squire Fishley
- After Midnight
- Miss Larrabee's Letter
- The Hungry Runaway
- What Sim Gwynn Wanted to See me for
- Building the Raft
- Squire Fishley Makes it Right
- Near Unto Death
- Who Robbed the Mail
- The Departure
- Down the River
- Night on the River
- At the Mouth of the Ohio
- After the Explosion
- Emily Goodridge
- Flora and her Patient
- The End of the Voyage
- Clarence Bradford
- Up the River
- Two Hours in Jail
- Conclusion