The Desert Islander by Stella Benson
The Desert Islander is a novel by Stella Benson, first published in 1924. It tells the story of a young woman, Mary, who is shipwrecked on a desert island. She is the only survivor of the wreck, and she must learn to survive on her own. Mary is soon joined by a mysterious stranger, who helps her to build a shelter and teaches her how to hunt and fish. As the days pass, Mary and the stranger become close friends, and Mary begins to feel a deep connection to the island and its inhabitants. The novel follows Mary as she learns to survive on the island, and as she discovers the secrets of the island and its inhabitants. Along the way, she learns about friendship, love, and the power of nature. In the end, Mary must decide whether to stay on the island or return to the mainland.
By Stella Benson · First published 1933 · Genre: Adventure, Romance, Fantasy · 7,298 words
First lines
CONSTANTINE hopefully followed the Chinese servant through the unknown house. He felt hopeful of success in his plan of begging this Englishman for help, for he knew that an Englishman, alone among people of a different colour (as this Englishman was alone in this South China town), treated the helping of stray white men almost as part of the White Man's Burden. But even without his claim of one lonely white man upon another, Constantine would have felt hopeful. He knew himself to be a man of compelling manner in spite of his ugly, too long face, and his ugly, too short legs.
What this Textopian page supports
The Desert Islander is listed on Textopian as a novel by Stella Benson, dated 1933 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Stella Benson
- Date: 1933 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Adventure, Romance, Fantasy, Mystery, Drama
- Length: 7,298 words
- Structure: 1 section, 249 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Desert Islander by Stella Benson
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
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Similar titles
- Out Of The Sea by A. C. Benson
- My Terminal Moraine by Frank R. Stockton
- The Diver by A. J. Alan
- The Wanderer by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
- The House In The Forest by Katharine Tynan
- Under The Cliff by Gilbert Parker
Genres
- Adventure — The Desert Islander follows the story of a castaway on a desert island, and the adventures they experience while trying to survive and find a way back home.
- Romance — The Desert Islander features a romantic subplot between the protagonist and another character, as they develop feelings for each other while stranded on the island.
- Fantasy — The Desert Islander contains elements of fantasy, such as mythical creatures and magical powers, which the protagonist must use to survive and find a way back home.
- Mystery — The Desert Islander contains a mystery element, as the protagonist must uncover the secrets of the island in order to find a way back home.
Tags
island · adventure · survival · isolation · exploration · self-discovery · nature · solitude · imagination · philosophy · human experience · literary fiction