Rudder Grange by Frank R. Stockton - Book Report/Review Example

Rudder grange The book presents several short, comedic sketches of Middle America’s country life in the late 1800s. The comical twists and turns ingratiate the adorable, naïve married couple to the reader. Funny Pomona is the center of several stories. It is comical to have a honeymoon in a lunatic asylum yet they got a rudder grange. The themes in Stockton’s book include marriage and relationship themes, social class and money and the theme of striving to belong and feel settled. Furthermore, the author established himself as a humorous writer through this novel. For instance, though Euphemia and her husband are good-hearted people, they are not very bright. The couple takes up residence in a canal boat known as Rudder Grange then have all kinds of adventures that are filled with humor. At times, the humor is experienced through their maid Ponoma. The Rudders Grange was a happy concept and the book served to make the reputation of the author as a humorist. The author portrays a delightful humor quality that is unobtrusive, sly and refined. The humor theme is not forced but sparkling and spontaneous. The Lady or the Tiger The book was written mainly as the contribution of the author to a congenial friend’s entertainment of the evening. The pretension of an issue so effortlessly balanced in an ingenious expedient that confirms Stockton’s humor gift as well as his intellect. The Lady or the Tiger has awakened a huge deal of curiosity and provoked a lot of discussion. The book has always been a subject for discussion. However, it remains unsolved. The author was first to acknowledge his gifts and ability for the short story and turned them to noble account. All stories in the lady or the Tiger are pervaded with Stockton’s unique humor and marked creativity. Even though some of the stories are whimsical, this is a trait of his genius. Another possible theme in the Lady or the Tiger is the trust necessity in the humanity of another individual and love in a world where one never knows for certain what that individual will do. The reader may might marvel “which door could I have chosen?” (Themes and Meanings, par. 2). There is also the theme of dealing with the repercussions of one’s own actions and choices. The king’s poor prisoners are forced to choose one of two doors that hold behind them either life or death. In addition, the princess has the hard choice of to make whether she should be truthful to her lover. Themes Justice and Chance The Lady or the Tiger?” features the theme of justice in the form of the arena system of the king and his treatment of the courtier who had an affair with the princess. To a king who was semi-barbaric nothing is more just than chance deciding the guilt of an individual. He defies chance and from his view, his god’s will is the eventual authority on justice. Barbarism and civilization There is also the theme of barbarism and civilization. The King’s first description and his personality part stressed above all others, is the collocation of his barbaric and civilized sides. Civilization and barbarism are in constant tension. They are ultimately represented in the lady, the tiger, the punishment and the prize behind the doors of the arena. Jealousy and altruism The story’s princess is faced with a hard dilemma in that she has the option of choosing whether to be selfless or permit herself to be jealous as is the natural predisposition. The decision of the princess is symbolic of the choices that every individual must make (McDaniel College, 2006). However, some of his stories make classification hard. For instance, John Gayther’s garden appears to cluster round a common subject and form a more or less group of humor. The remarkable Wreck of the Thomas Hyke is one of his most clever stories. it is cleverly invented and worked out in detail with rare expertise. The tale consists of several numbers of happy turns and the whole plan is competently implemented. Nonetheless, the final effect is something of a disappointment to the readers since the occasion seems to be insufficient. It does not offer a situation that is humorous or surprising. Our Story was also successful. The author begins with a caprice or a whimsy for the amusement of the reader. It then particularizes a succession of clever and humorous turns leading up to the supposition that is anticipated. The author’s typical stories are A Tale of Negative Gravity that may serve to portray the third class. The story is a monologue that sets out in a straightforward way how an elderly gentleman and his spouse take a long rough fifteen miles walk burdened with a knapsack and a basket of lunch. The explanation is found in a clever gadget of the invention of the gentleman. The story is told in a manner that is sober. However, with Stockton’s art mastery, the portrayal is not totally complete so that the reader ultimately awakes to the comprehension that he is simply been under the magic spell of Stockton. There is a marked peculiarity that differentiates him from other writers. Stockton is a realist, transcending the average experience of man. The characters in his stories are without exception moral men and women who are strict observers of the Decalogue who nonetheless have no hesitations about breaking the great realism commandment. They seem just as innocent in the act as if they never once dreamed of the operation of this law in the fiction realm. Therefore, the leading character mentioned in the ‘A Tale of Negative Gravity by his clever invention, portrays the negative gravity law and moves and acts in superlative unconsciousness of any infringement on his part of a universal nature law. Similarly, in “ His Wife’s Deceased Sister” the husband and wife appear perfectly natural in their conduct when they bury the key to the strong-box that contains that fatal manuscript, deep in the water. Stockton’s explanation for his disrespect and apparent contempt for the realism law is that he places his characters in his own invention world. In this world, particular improvements and advantages above common experience average are presumed. The characters are transported out of our everyday experiences monotony into a far country. This is a depiction of an attendant circumstance of Stockton’s art glamor. Therefore, in Stockton’s stories, there is a hidden theme of mockery of present realistic fiction that gives him a huge advantage over other realists. Nevertheless, his stories contravene particular literary art conventions. Furthermore, while the stories portray great themes of ingenuity of invention, they rarely show much plot, which is weak in his stories. In addition, the author’s stories are mostly mere narratives. Furthermore, he does not adequate use of the theme of description to localize the story’s scene. Stockton is analytically conversant with his art. He is able to convey a delightful credibility to eccentrically motivate plots (458). The late Mrs. Null published in 1988 also has the hidden theme of ingenuity. It offers a number of enigmatic and humorous circumstances (459). The mystery that surrounds Mrs. Null’s personality is ingeniously conceived and the details of the whole story are worked out well efficiently. Widow Keswick, Mrs, Null’s disagreeable old aunt is the most picturesque character that is portrayed with much droll humor. Keswick’s callous persecution of Robert Brandon, her quondam suitor is tremendously amusing (459). In particular is the scene of the wedding. The author reverts to his occasional hidden theme of end surprise (460). The Great Stone of Sardis published in 1898 also illustrates his intellect that is inclined to the whimsical and chimerical as well as the mechanical turn of his invention (461). Conclusion The author’s success lies in his droll humor that is more effective in acts and situations of short durations. His accomplishments as a writer and a humorist have placed American literature under a lasting responsibility to his genius and art. Work Cited Bowen, Edwin W. "The Fiction of Frank R. Stockton." The Sewanee Review (1920): 452-462. Available from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/27533332?seq=11#page_scan_tab_contents "Themes and Meanings" Comprehensive Guide to Short Stories, Critical Edition Ed. Charles E. May. eNotes.com, Inc. 2004 eNotes.com 20 May, 2015 http://www.enotes.com/topics/lady-tiger/themes#themes-themes-and-meanings http://www.enotes.com/homework-help/what-theme-lady-tiger-10047 McDaniel College. 2006. The Lady or the Tiger? By Frank Stockton: Themes. Available at: http://www2.mcdaniel.edu/english/storysite/tiger/pages/theme.html http://www.enotes.com/topics/frank-r-stockton Read More