The Little Crossing-Sweeper
The story revolves around a young girl who lives with her mother in a small cottage near a river. The mother earns a living by washing and ironing clothes for the villagers. The girl's father, a fisherman, has been dead for some time. One day, the girl finds an infant on the riverbank, and she decides to care for it. As the story unfolds, the girl's life is transformed by her new responsibility, and she learns valuable lessons about love, sacrifice, and growing up.
By Thomas Anstey Guthrie · First published 1842 · Genre: Drama, Comedy, Social Commentary · 1,858 words
First lines
DRAMATIS PERSONAE. _The Little Crossing-Sweeper_ By the unrivalled Variety Artist Miss JENNY JINKS. _The Duke of Dillwater_ Mr. HENRY IRVING. [_Specially engaged; Mr. Punch is sure that he will cheerfully make some slight sacrifice for so good a cause, and he can easily slip out and get back again between the Acts of "Henry the 8th. "_ _A Policeman_ Mr. RUTLAND BARRINGTON. [_Engaged, at enormous expense, during the entire run of this piece._ _A Butler_ (_his original part_) Mr. ARTHUR CECIL. _Foot-passengers_, _Flunkeys_, _Burglars_. -- By the celebrated Knockabout Quick-change Troupe.
What this Textopian page supports
The Little Crossing-Sweeper is listed on Textopian as a novella by Thomas Anstey Guthrie, dated 1842 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novella
- Author: Thomas Anstey Guthrie
- Date: 1842 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Drama, Comedy, Social Commentary, Tragedy, Musical
- Length: 1,858 words
- Structure: 1 section, 55 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Little Crossing-Sweeper by Thomas Anstey Guthrie
- 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
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Little Crossing-Sweeper?
- How does this novella by Thomas Anstey Guthrie fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Drama first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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- The Stampeding Of Lady Bastable by Hector Hugh Munro
- A Woman Of No Importance by Oscar Wilde
Genres
- Drama — The work is structured as a play with characters, dialogue, and a dramatic narrative arc.
- Comedy — The piece contains humorous elements, witty dialogue, and comedic situations, particularly through the character of Miss Jenny Jinks.
- Social Commentary — The story addresses themes of class disparity, honesty, and the struggles of the impoverished in society.
- Tragedy — The ending involves the death of the protagonist, highlighting the tragic elements of the character's life and circumstances.
Tags
Victorian Era · Social Satire · Humorous Fiction · Clergy · Religion · Church of England · Rural Life · Village Community · Class System · Social Hierarchy · Morality Tale · Comedy of Manners