Thrown Away by Rudyard Kipling
The narrative follows a young man, raised in a sheltered environment, who struggles to adapt to the harsh realities of life in India after completing his military training. Initially, he is ill-prepared for the challenges he faces, having been shielded from the world by his overprotective parents. Upon arriving in India, he is overwhelmed by the freedom and excitement of his new life, leading him to engage in reckless behavior and take everything too seriously. His inability to cope with the pressures of military life and social expectations results in a series of personal failures, including financial losses and strained relationships. Despite warnings from more experienced officers, he remains oblivious to the dangers of his lifestyle. A pivotal moment occurs when a careless remark from a woman triggers a deep sense of shame and despair within him. In a state of emotional turmoil, he seeks solitude in a remote location, where he ultimately takes his own life. The discovery of his body by a concerned officer and a companion leads to a grim realization of the young man's suffering. They find letters he wrote to his family and a girl back home, filled with expressions of hopelessness and regret. Faced with the need to protect the young man's reputation and spare his family from the truth of his suicide, the officer and his companion concoct a false narrative. They fabricate a story of his death from cholera, burn the letters, and create a cover-up to shield his family from the devastating reality of his actions. The story explores themes of mental health, the consequences of overprotection, and the societal pressures faced by young men in colonial India. It highlights the tragic outcomes of isolation, the weight of expectations, and the lengths to which individuals may go to preserve the dignity of those they care about, even at the cost of their own integrity. The narrative concludes with the haunting realization that the young man's struggles and the subsequent deception will linger in the hearts of those left behind.
By Rudyard Kipling · First published 1892 · Genre: Tragedy, Literary Fiction, Psychological Drama · 4,494 words
First lines
"And some are sulky, while some will plunge [So ho! Steady! Stand still, you! ] Some you must gentle, and some you must lunge. [There! There! Who wants to kill you? ] Some -- there are losses in every trade -- Will break their hearts ere bitted and made, Will fight like fiends as the rope cuts hard, And die dumb-mad in the breaking-yard. " Toolungala Stockyard Chorus.
To rear a boy under what parents call the "sheltered life system" is, if the boy must go into the world and fend for himself, not wise. Unless he be one in a thousand he has certainly to pass through many unnecessary troubles; and may, possibly, come to extreme grief simply from ignorance of the proper proportions of things.
What this Textopian page supports
Thrown Away is listed on Textopian as a short story by Rudyard Kipling, dated 1892 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Rudyard Kipling
- Date: 1892 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Tragedy, Literary Fiction, Psychological Drama, Coming-of-Age, Social Commentary
- Length: 4,494 words
- Structure: 1 section, 48 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Thrown Away by Rudyard Kipling
- 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 Thrown Away?
- How does this short story by Rudyard Kipling fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Tragedy first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Lamplighter by Charles Dickens
- The Miners Daughter A Tale Of The Peak by Charles Dickens
- John Enderby by Gilbert Parker
- Esther Mason by Samuel Warren
- The Valley Of The Shadow by Rudyard Kipling
- The Shanty by Edward Dyson
Genres
- Tragedy — The story revolves around the tragic downfall of a young man who succumbs to the pressures of life, leading to his suicide.
- Literary Fiction — The narrative explores deep themes of societal expectations, mental health, and the consequences of a sheltered upbringing.
- Psychological Drama — The internal struggles and emotional turmoil of the protagonist are central to the plot, highlighting psychological themes.
- Coming-of-Age — The story depicts the transition of a boy into adulthood and the challenges he faces in adapting to the real world.
Tags
abandonment · loss · identity · survival · childhood · poverty · social issues · family · resilience · hope · displacement · struggle