The Superstitious Man's Story
The story follows a superstitious man who is convinced that his life is cursed by a supernatural force. He believes that his fate is predetermined and that he is doomed to suffer misfortune. He is so convinced of this that he refuses to take any action to improve his life, believing that it will only make matters worse. The story follows the man as he encounters a series of strange events and coincidences that seem to confirm his superstitions. He meets a mysterious woman who claims to be able to help him, but he refuses her offer. He also meets a man who claims to be able to tell him his future, but again he refuses. The story culminates in a dramatic climax as the man is forced to confront his fears and superstitions. He ultimately discovers that his life is not cursed, and that he has the power to change his own destiny.
By Thomas Hardy · First published 1891 · Genre: Realistic Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction · 1,217 words
First lines
-"THERE was something very strange about William's death--very strange indeed!" sighed a melancholy man in the back of the van. It was the seedman's father, who had hitherto kept silence.
-"And what might that have been?" asked Mr Lackland.
What this Textopian page supports
The Superstitious Man's Story is listed on Textopian as a short story by Thomas Hardy, dated 1891 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 Hardy
- Date: 1891 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Realistic Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Drama
- Length: 1,217 words
- Structure: 1 section, 40 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Superstitious Man's Story by Thomas Hardy
- 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 Superstitious Man's Story?
- How does this short story by Thomas Hardy fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Realistic Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- A Faint Heart A Story by Fyodor Dostoevsky
- Duty And Superstition by Charles Kingsley
- The Last Laugh by D. H. Lawrence
- Human Repetends by Marcus Clarke
- Country Sentiment The Three Drinkers by Robert Graves
- Gows Watch by Rudyard Kipling
Genres
- Realistic Fiction — The Superstitious Man's Story is a realistic fiction novel that follows the life of a man who is superstitious and the consequences of his beliefs.
- Romance — The Superstitious Man's Story contains a romantic subplot between the protagonist and a woman he meets.
- Historical Fiction — The Superstitious Man's Story is set in 19th century England and contains historical elements such as the Industrial Revolution.
- Mystery — The Superstitious Man's Story contains a mystery element as the protagonist attempts to uncover the truth behind his superstitions.
Tags
superstition · belief · fate · destiny · human nature · rural life · conflict · tragedy · philosophy · psychology · narrative · character study