The Parasite
The Parasite is a novel by Theodosia Pickrering Garrison that follows the story of a young woman named Eliza, who is struggling to make ends meet in a world of poverty and despair. Eliza is a single mother living in a small town in the Midwest, and she is desperate to find a way to provide for her daughter. When a mysterious stranger arrives in town, Eliza is offered a chance to make some money by becoming a “parasite”—a person who lives off the generosity of others. Eliza soon discovers that the stranger is a vampire, and that he is offering her a chance to become a vampire herself. She is hesitant at first, but eventually decides to accept the offer. As Eliza begins to learn more about the vampire world, she discovers that it is a dangerous and unpredictable place. She must learn to navigate the politics of the vampire world, while also trying to protect her daughter from the dangers that lurk in the shadows. The Parasite is a thrilling and suspenseful novel that explores the dark side of human nature and the power of love and loyalty. It is a story of courage and resilience, and a reminder that even in the darkest of times, hope can still be found.
By Theodosia Pickrering Garrison · First published 1917 · Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller · 468 words
First lines
They brought to the little Princess, from her earliest hour of birth, The lovely things, the beautiful things, the soft things of earth.
They covered her floor with crimson, they wrapped her in eiderdown; They hung the windows with cloth of gold, lest her eyes look down; (Lest the highway show an unlovely thing And her eyes look down.)
What this Textopian page supports
The Parasite is listed on Textopian as a short story by Theodosia Pickrering Garrison, dated 1917 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Theodosia Pickrering Garrison
- Date: 1917 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Horror, Mystery, Thriller, Fantasy
- Length: 468 words
- Structure: 1 section, 10 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Difficult (College Level)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Parasite by Theodosia Pickrering Garrison
- 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 Parasite?
- How does this short story by Theodosia Pickrering Garrison fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Horror first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Horror — The title of the book, 'The Parasite', implies a horror element, as parasites are often associated with fear and dread.
- Mystery — Theodosia Pickrering Garrison is known for writing mystery novels, so this book is likely to contain elements of mystery.
- Thriller — The title of the book implies a thrilling story, as parasites can be seen as a threat to the protagonist.
- Fantasy — Theodosia Pickrering Garrison is known for writing fantasy novels, so this book may contain elements of fantasy.
Tags
Poetry · bade · beautiful · birth · brought · city · cloth · cry · earliest · eyes · gold · hands