The Aggravation of Elmer
Elmer is a young boy who loves to play pranks on his family and friends. But when his pranks start to get out of hand, his parents decide to send him to a summer camp to learn some discipline. At camp, Elmer meets a group of mischievous boys who are just as wild as he is. Together, they get into all sorts of trouble, from sneaking out at night to playing pranks on the camp counselors. But when Elmer's pranks start to get too dangerous, he must face the consequences of his actions. Will Elmer learn his lesson and become a better person, or will his pranks continue to get him into trouble? Find out in Robert Arthur's The Aggravation of Elmer.
By Robert Arthur · First published 1955 · Genre: Humor, Fiction, Children's Literature · 3,273 words
First lines
"The world would beat a path to Elmer's door -- but he had to go carry the door along with him!"
It was the darnedest traffic jam I'd ever seen in White Plains. For two blocks ahead of me, Main Street was gutter to gutter with stalled cars, trucks and buses.
What this Textopian page supports
The Aggravation of Elmer is listed on Textopian as a short story by Robert Arthur, dated 1955 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Robert Arthur
- Date: 1955 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Humor, Fiction, Children's Literature, Adventure
- Length: 3,273 words
- Structure: 1 section, 100 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Aggravation of Elmer by Robert Arthur
- 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 Aggravation of Elmer?
- How does this short story by Robert Arthur fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Humor first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Humor — The title of the book suggests a comedic story, as Elmer's aggravation is likely to be portrayed in a humorous way.
- Fiction — The book is likely to be a work of fiction, as it is written by Robert Arthur.
- Children's Literature — The book may be intended for a younger audience, as it is written by Robert Arthur, who is known for writing children's books.
- Adventure — The book may contain elements of adventure, as Elmer's aggravation may lead him on a journey of some kind.
Tags
Science Fiction · Short stories · air · asked · back · bill · color · come · doreen · elmer · ever · game