Miss Mehetabel's Son
The novel follows the life of Mehetabel's son, a young man named John, who is born into a wealthy family in New England. He is raised in a strict and sheltered environment, and is expected to follow in his father's footsteps and become a successful businessman. However, John has other ideas, and he rebels against his family's expectations. He runs away from home and embarks on a journey of self-discovery, meeting a variety of people and experiencing a range of adventures. Along the way, he learns about life, love, and the importance of following one's own path. The novel is a coming-of-age story, exploring themes of identity, independence, and the power of choice. It is a classic of American literature, and has been praised for its vivid characters and its exploration of the human condition.
By Thomas Bailey Aldrich · First published 1873 · Genre: Realistic Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction · 2 chapters · 9,165 words
First lines
You will not find Greenton, or Bayley's Four-Corners, as it is more usually designated, on any map of New England that I know of. It is not a town; it is not even a village; it is merely an absurd hotel. The almost indescribable place called Greenton is at the intersection of four roads, in the heart of New Hampshire, twenty miles from the nearest settlement of note, and ten miles from any railway station. A good location for a hotel, you will say. Precisely; but there has always been a hotel there, and for the last dozen years it has been pretty well patronized -- by one boarder. Not to trifle with an intelligent public, I will state at once that, in the early part of this century, Greenton was a point at which the mail-coach on the Great Northern Route stopped to change horses and allow the passengers to dine. People in the county, wishing to take the early mail Portsmouth-ward, put up overnight at the old tavern, famous for its irreproachable larder and soft feather-beds. The tavern at that time was kept by Jonathan Bayley, who rivalled his wallet in growing corpulent, and in due time passed away. At his death the establishment, which included a farm, fell into the hands of a son-in-law. Now, though Bayley left his son-in-law a hotel -- which sounds handsome -- he left him no guests; for at about the period of the old man's death the old stage-coach died also. Apoplexy carried off one, and steam the other. Thus, by a sudden swerve in the tide of progress, the tavern at the Corners found itself high and dry, like a wreck on a sand-bank. Shortly after this event, or maybe contemporaneously, there was some attempt to build a town at Green-ton; but it apparently failed, if eleven cellars choked up with "débris" and overgrown with burdocks are any indication of failure. The farm, however, was a good farm, as things go in New Hampshire, and Tobias Sewell, the son-in-law, could afford to snap his fingers at the travelling public if they came near enough -- which they never did.
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Miss Mehetabel's Son is listed on Textopian as a novel by Thomas Bailey Aldrich, dated 1873 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Thomas Bailey Aldrich
- Date: 1873 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Realistic Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction, Coming of Age
- Length: 9,165 words
- Structure: 2 chapters, 128 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Miss Mehetabel's Son by Thomas Bailey Aldrich
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
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Genres
- Realistic Fiction — Miss Mehetabel's Son is a realistic fiction novel that follows the life of a young man, Tom Bailey, as he navigates his way through the world. The novel is set in a realistic setting and follows the protagonist's journey as he learns about life and love.
- Romance — Miss Mehetabel's Son is a romantic novel that follows the love story between Tom Bailey and his beloved, Mary. The novel explores the ups and downs of their relationship and the obstacles they must overcome to be together.
- Historical Fiction — Miss Mehetabel's Son is set in the late 19th century and follows the life of Tom Bailey as he navigates his way through the changing world. The novel explores the historical context of the time period and how it affects the characters and their lives.
- Coming of Age — Miss Mehetabel's Son is a coming of age novel that follows the life of Tom Bailey as he grows up and learns about life and love. The novel explores the struggles and triumphs of growing up and the lessons he learns along the way.
Tags
19th century · Fiction · Short stories · Social life and customs · United States · andy · bed · boy · come · corners · could · door