Stepping Backwards by W. W. Jacobs
Stepping Backwards is a collection of short stories by W. W. Jacobs, first published in 1902. The stories are set in the fictional English village of Wrykyn, and focus on the lives of the villagers and their interactions with each other. The stories explore themes of love, friendship, loyalty, and betrayal, as well as the effects of class and social status on the characters. The stories are humorous and often feature unexpected twists and turns. The collection includes the stories "The Monkey's Paw," "The Well," "The Interruption," "The Three Sisters," "The Money Box," "The Lumber Room," "The Lady of the Barge," "The Interlopers," "The Voice in the Night," "The Brown Man's Servant," "The Dream," "The Toll House," and "The Whistling Room."
By W. W. Jacobs · First published 1843 · Genre: Fiction, Humor, Short Story · 3,796 words
First lines
"Wonderful improvement," said Mr. Jack Mills. "Show 'em to me again."
Mr. Simpson took his pipe from his mouth and, parting his lips, revealed his new teeth.
What this Textopian page supports
Stepping Backwards is listed on Textopian as a short story by W. W. Jacobs, dated 1843 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: W. W. Jacobs
- Date: 1843 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fiction, Humor, Short Story, Mystery, Romance
- Length: 3,796 words
- Structure: 1 section, 155 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Stepping Backwards by W. W. Jacobs
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Stepping Backwards?
- How does this short story by W. W. Jacobs fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
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Genres
- Fiction — The book is a work of fiction, written by W. W. Jacobs.
- Humor — The book contains humorous elements, as evidenced by its title and the author's writing style.
- Short Story — The book is a short story, as evidenced by its length and the author's writing style.
- Mystery — The book contains elements of mystery, as evidenced by its plot and themes.
Tags
humor · satire · social commentary · Victorian era · short stories · character study · irony · absurdity · dialogue · everyday life · class differences · British literature