A Struggle for Life by Thomas Bailey Aldrich
The narrative begins with an encounter in Boston Common, where the protagonist observes a peculiar man whose appearance suggests a dissonance between his youthful body and aged features. This man, referred to as the "old young man," captivates the protagonist's curiosity, leading to a conversation with a neighbor who claims to know the man's story. The tale unfolds in Paris, focusing on Philip Wentworth, a young American in love with Julie Dorine. Their romance is vibrant yet tinged with an underlying melancholy. Philip's happiness is abruptly shattered when he learns of Julie's sudden death, which occurs after a seemingly normal evening. The narrative details the shock of her passing and the subsequent funeral, where Philip is inadvertently left behind in the family tomb. In the tomb, Philip experiences a harrowing ordeal. Initially paralyzed by grief and shock, he soon resolves to survive. He discovers a candle left behind and rationed it to sustain himself. As time passes, he grapples with despair, hunger, and the chilling atmosphere of the tomb. His thoughts drift between memories of his life and the love he lost, creating a poignant reflection on mortality and the value of life. After what feels like an eternity, Philip's struggle culminates in a moment of desperation. He consumes the last of the candle, believing it to be his final act before succumbing to death. However, just as he resigns himself to his fate, he is miraculously discovered and freed by M. Dorine, who had returned to the tomb. The ordeal lasts only an hour and twenty minutes, yet for Philip, it felt like a lifetime. The story concludes with the protagonist reflecting on the experience and the nature of suffering. He realizes that the man he had been so curious about was not the extraordinary figure he imagined, but rather an ordinary individual whose life had been woven into a tale of love and loss. The narrative serves as a meditation on the human condition, exploring themes of love, grief, and the struggle for survival in the face of despair.
By Thomas Bailey Aldrich · First published 1888 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Romance · 5,529 words
First lines
One morning as I was passing through Boston Common, which lies between / my home and my office, I met a gentleman lounging along The Mall. I / am generally preoccupied when walking, and often thread my way through / crowded streets without distinctly observing any one. But this man's / face forced itself upon me, and a singular face it was. His eyes were / faded, and his hair, which he wore long, was flecked with gray. His hair / and eyes, if I may say so, were sixty years old, the rest of him not / thirty. The youthfulness of his figure, the elasticity of his gait, and / the venerable appearance of his head were incongruities that drew more / than one pair of curious eyes towards him, He excited in me the painful / suspicion that he had got either somebody else's head or somebody else's / body. He was evidently an American, at least so far as the upper part / of him was concerned -- the New England cut of countenance is / unmistakable -- evidently a man who had seen something of the world, but / strangely young and old.
What this Textopian page supports
A Struggle for Life is listed on Textopian as a short story by Thomas Bailey Aldrich, dated 1888 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Thomas Bailey Aldrich
- Date: 1888 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Literary Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Romance, Gothic Fiction, Drama
- Length: 5,529 words
- Structure: 1 section, 65 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Struggle for Life by Thomas Bailey Aldrich
- 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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Genres
- Literary Fiction — The narrative explores complex themes of identity, loss, and existential struggle, characteristic of literary fiction.
- Psychological Fiction — The protagonist's internal conflict and psychological depth are central to the story, focusing on his emotional and mental state.
- Romance — The story includes romantic elements, particularly the relationship between Philip Wentworth and Julie Dorine.
- Gothic Fiction — The setting in a tomb and themes of death and confinement evoke gothic elements.
Tags
struggle · life · survival · nature · human experience · adversity · resilience · conflict · growth · identity · existentialism · determination