Shadows on the Rock by Willa Cather
Shadows on the Rock is a 1931 novel by Willa Cather. Set in 17th century Quebec, the novel follows the story of a young girl, Cecile Auclair, and her father, Jacques Auclair, a French apothecary. The novel begins with Cecile and her father arriving in Quebec, a small French settlement in the New World. They are welcomed by the local priest, Father Felician, who takes them in and helps them to settle in the town. Cecile and her father quickly become part of the small community, and Cecile begins to explore the town and its surroundings. She meets a variety of people, including a young Iroquois girl, a French soldier, and a mysterious old woman. As the novel progresses, Cecile and her father face a variety of challenges, including a smallpox epidemic, a harsh winter, and a dangerous journey to Montreal. Through it all, Cecile and her father remain strong and resilient, and their faith in God helps them to overcome their struggles. In the end, Cecile and her father are able to find a place for themselves in the small community, and Cecile learns valuable lessons about life, faith, and courage.
By Willa Cather · First published 1931 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Regional Fiction, Realistic Fiction · 32 chapters · 68,768 words
First lines
One afternoon late in October of the year 1697, Euclide Auclair, the philosopher apothecary of Quebec, stood on the top of Cap Diamant gazing down the broad, empty river far beneath him. Empty, because an hour ago the flash of retreating sails had disappeared behind the green island that splits the St. Lawrence below Quebec, and the last of the summer ships from France had started on her long voyage home.
What this Textopian page supports
Shadows on the Rock is listed on Textopian as a novel by Willa Cather, dated 1931 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: 1931 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Historical Fiction, Regional Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Literary Fiction
- Length: 68,768 words
- Structure: 32 chapters, 1,026 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Shadows on the Rock by Willa Cather
- 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
- Historical Fiction — The novel is set in 17th century Quebec and follows the lives of a French family living in the New World.
- Regional Fiction — The novel is set in a specific region, Quebec, and focuses on the lives of the people living there.
- Realistic Fiction — The novel is set in a realistic setting and follows the lives of a family living in the New World.
- Literary Fiction — The novel is written in a literary style and explores themes of faith, family, and identity.
Tags
historical fiction · Canada · French settlers · 19th century · family dynamics · cultural conflict · immigration · identity · nature · community · isolation · adventure
Contents
- Chapter 1
- Chapter 2
- Chapter 3
- Chapter 4
- Chapter 5
- Chapter 1
- Chapter 2
- Chapter 3
- Chapter 4
- Chapter 5
- Chapter 6
- Chapter 7
- Chapter 8
- Chapter 9
- Chapter 1
- Chapter 2
- Chapter 3
- Chapter 4
- Chapter 5
- Chapter 6
- Chapter 1
- Chapter 2
- Chapter 3
- Chapter 1
- Chapter 2
- Chapter 3
- Chapter 4
- Chapter 1
- Chapter 2
- Chapter 3
- Chapter 4
- Chapter 1