Obscure Destinies by Willa Cather

In the first story, “Neighbour Rosicky”, Anton Rosicky is an elderly Czech immigrant living in Nebraska. He is a hardworking farmer who is devoted to his family and his land. Despite his age, he is determined to keep working and to make sure his children have a better life than he did. The second story, “Old Mrs. Harris”, is about an elderly woman who lives alone in a small town in Nebraska. She is a widow who has outlived her family and friends, and she is struggling to make ends meet. Despite her loneliness, she finds solace in her memories and in her faith. The third story, “Two Friends”, is about two old friends who have been separated for many years. They reunite and reminisce about their past, and they come to realize that their friendship is still strong despite the years that have passed. Obscure Destinies is a collection of stories that explore the themes of family, friendship, and faith. Through her characters, Cather shows how these themes can bring comfort and hope in times of difficulty.

By Willa Cather · First published 1932 · Genre: Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Regional Fiction · 21 chapters · 40,584 words

First lines

When Doctor Burleigh told neighbour Rosicky he had a bad heart, Rosicky protested.

-"So? No, I guess my heart was always pretty good. I got a little asthma, maybe. Just a awful short breath when I was pitchin' hay last summer, dat's all."

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What this Textopian page supports

Obscure Destinies is listed on Textopian as a novel by Willa Cather, dated 1932 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

• Work type: Novel
• Author: Willa Cather
• Date: 1932 CE
• Language: English
• Genres: Realistic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Regional Fiction, Literary Fiction
• Length: 40,584 words
• Structure: 21 chapters, 642 paragraphs
• Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

Good citation fit

• Work identity for Obscure Destinies by Willa Cather
• 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

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Genres

• Realistic Fiction — Obscure Destinies is a collection of three short stories by Willa Cather, all of which are set in the American West and feature realistic characters and settings.
• Historical Fiction — The stories in Obscure Destinies are set in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, making them historical fiction.
• Regional Fiction — The stories in Obscure Destinies are set in the American West, making them regional fiction.
• Literary Fiction — Obscure Destinies is a collection of short stories by Willa Cather, a renowned American author, making it literary fiction.

Tags

short stories · American literature · early 20th century · rural life · human experience · identity · isolation · nature · family dynamics · struggle · dreams · disillusionment

Contents

• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 7
• Chapter 8
• Chapter 9
• Chapter 10
• Chapter 11
• Chapter 12
• Chapter 13
• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2

More by Willa Cather

• Sleep, Minstrel, Sleep (1918)
• Eric Hermannson's Soul (1899)
• The Encore (1906)
• Her Boss (1915)
• The Garden Lodge (1921)
• One of Ours (1922)
• Flavia and her Artists (1899)
• Macon Prairie (1896)
• All works by Willa Cather