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Réussissez votre bac de français 2023 grâce à notre fiche de lecture du roman Une vie à Londres de Henry James !Validée par une équipe de professeurs, cette analyse littéraire est une référence pour tous les lycéens.Grâce à notre travail éditorial, les points suivants n'auront plus aucun secret pour vous : la biographie de l'écrivain, le résumé du livre, l'étude de l'oeuvre, l'analyse des thèmes principaux à connaître et le mouvement littéraire auquel est rattaché l'auteur.

Henry James wrote the short story ''Georgina's Reason''. It describes a pair that doesn't seem to have gotten along very well. Against the objections of her wealthy parents, the stunning, cold, and ostensibly conservative Georgina Gressie weds the poor navy lieutenant Raymond Benyon (Joachim Bissmeier) in secret in New York, making him pledge never to mention their union to anyone unless she gives him permission to. This pledge, first made without thought or suspicion, has important and far-reaching ramifications: Georgina gradually distances herself from her puzzled husband, leaves her child in the care of an Italian woman while on a vacation to Europe, and does everything she can to disregard her marriage. Raymond finds out by chance that "his" wife Georgina has subsequently remarried a number of years later. He had met Kate in Italy and has a close relationship with her; her new spouse is a relative. The only thing that would make sense to him right now and be easier is to demand of Georgina that she renounce his pledge to keep quiet and grant a divorce. She declines. And Benyon is unable to force himself to marry his new love in bigamy.

Las gentes de Francia nunca han ocultado que las de Inglaterra, hablando en general, son, a su modo de ver, una raza inexpresiva y taciturna, perpendicular e insociable, poco aficionada a cubrir cualquier sequedad de trato mediante recamados verbales o de otra clase. Es probable que esta impresión pareciera respaldada, hace unos años, en París, debido al modo en que cuatro personas se hallaban sentadas juntas en silencio, un buen día cerca de las doce de la mañana, en el jardín, como se lo denomina, del Palais de l¿Industrie: el patio central del gran bazar acristalado, donde entre plantas y parterres, senderos de grava y fuentes sutiles, se alinean las figuras y los grupos, los monumentos y los bustos, que forman la sección de escultura en la exposición anual del Salón. El espíritu de observación se pone automáticamente en el Salón muy alerta, estimulado por un millar de detalles llamativos angélicos o desangelados, mas no habría hecho falta ninguna tensión especial del sentido de la vista para percatarse de las características de las cuatro personas en cuestión. Como reclamo para el ojo por méritos propios, también ellos constituían un hecho artístico logrado; y hasta el más superficial de los observadores los habría catalogado como creaciones notables de una vecindad insular, representantes de esa clase impecable e impermeable con la cual, en las ocasiones repetidas en que los ingleses salen de vacaciones (Navidad y Pascua de Resurrección, Pentecostés y el otoño), París se ve rociada entera en el plazo de una noche. Había en ellos con plenitud el indefinible aspecto característico del viajero británico en el extranjero: ese aire de preparación a correr riesgos, materiales y morales, tan extrañamente combinada con una serena demostración de seguridad y perseverancia, el cual aire despierta, según la susceptibilidad de cada cual, la ira o la admiración de las comunidades extranjeras. Eran todavía más inconfundibles por ser ejemplares muy conseguidos de la enérgica raza a la que teman el honor de pertenecer. La luz dulce y difusa del Salón los hacía aparecer inmaculados e importantes; eran a su modo producciones acabadas, y permanecían allí inmóviles, en su banco verde; eran parte de la exposición casi tanto como si los hubiesen colgado de una alcayata a la altura del ojo.

Glasses is one of the best short stories written by Henry James in 1896. A society marriage is about to take place between a young woman whose only asset is an incredibly attractive face. That is until her fiancé realizes that she requires bulky spectacles that detract from her appearance because she is practically blind. In Folkestone, the unnamed narrator, a bachelor artist, notices a young woman with an astonishingly stunning face. He discovers that she is Flora Saunt, an orphan, from a friend, the widowed Mrs. Meldrum who must wear unsightly glasses. Lord Iffield, the unintelligent heir to a country estate, is one of her admirers. Geoffrey Dawling, who is educated and empathetic but not attractive, is another admirer who is also wealthy. Later, the narrator attends a Lohengrin performance in London. He sees a beautiful woman in a box wearing expensive gems and assumes she must be Flora. She looks at him over her opera glasses and smiles. Before realizing she is now blind, he approaches her box and kisses her hand in greeting. She can't see Geoffrey's terrible appearance, but he rejoins her and the two.

Cuando concurren ciertas circunstancias, pocos momentos hay en la vida que resulten más gratos que esa hora que se dedica a la ceremonia conocida como el té de la tarde. Hay circunstancias en las que, tanto si uno toma té como si no ¿y, por supuesto, hay gente que jamás lo hace¿, la situación resulta placentera por sí misma. Aquellas que tengo en la mente al iniciar la narración de esta sencilla historia hacían que el escenario de tan inocente pasatiempo resultase digno de admiración. Los elementos del ligero refrigerio habían sido colocados sobre el césped de una antigua casa solariega inglesa, en lo que yo calificaría como el momento perfecto, en mitad de una espléndida tarde de verano. Parte de dicha tarde ya había transcurrido, pero todavía quedaba mucha por delante, y lo que restaba era de una calidad única e insuperable. El crepúsculo de verdad tardaría muchas horas en llegar; pero la intensidad de la luz estival había comenzado a disminuir, el aire se había vuelto sedoso, las sombras se alargaban sobre la hierba suave y tupida. Crecían con lentitud, sin embargo, y la escena transmitía esa sensación del deleite anunciado que tal vez sea la principal fuente de placer al presenciar un momento así a una hora como esa. De las cinco a las ocho de la tarde transcurre en ciertas ocasiones una pequeña eternidad; pero en una como la que nos ocupa dicho intervalo no puede ser otra cosa que una eternidad de placer. Las personas allí presentes disfrutaban con calma de dicho placer, y no eran miembros del sexo al que se supone que pertenecen los devotos incondicionales de la ceremonia que acabo de mencionar.

Cuando pensaba en ello, el Príncipe se daba cuenta de que Londres siempre le había gustado. El Príncipe era uno de esos romanos modernos que encuentran junto a las orillas del Támesis una imagen más convincente de la fidelidad del antiguo estado que la que habían dejado junto a las orillas del Tíber. Formado en la leyenda de aquella ciudad a la que el mundo entero rendía tributo, veía en el actual Londres, mucho más que en la contemporánea Roma, la verdadera dimensión del concepto de Estado. Se decía el Príncipe que, si se trataba de una cuestión de Imperium, y si uno quería, como romano, recobrar un poco ese sentido, el lugar al que debía ir era al Puente de Londres y, mejor aún, si era en una hermosa tarde de mayo, al Hyde Park Corner. Sin embargo, a ninguno de estos dos lugares, al parecer centros de su predilección, había guiado sus pasos en el momento en que le encontramos, sino que había ido a parar, lisa y llanamente, a Bond Street, en donde su imaginación, propicia ahora a ejercicios de alcance relativamente corto, le inducía a detenerse de vez en cuando ante los escaparates en los que se exhibían objetos pesados y macizos, en oro y plata, en formas aptas para llevar piedras preciosas en cuero, hierro, bronce, destinados a cien usos y abusos, tan apretados como si fueran, en su imperial insolencia, el botín de victorias alcanzadas en lejanos pagos. Sin embargo, los movimientos del joven Príncipe en manera alguna revelaban atención, ni siquiera cuando se detenía al vislumbrar algunos rostros que pasaban por la calle junto a él bajo la sombra de grandes sombreros con cintajos, u otros todavía más delicadamente matizados por las tensas sombrillas de seda, sostenidas de manera que quedaban con una intencionada inclinación, casi perversa, en los coches del tipo victoria que esperaban junto a la acera.

First published in 1898, The Turn of the Screw is one of the greatest gothic horror stories of all time and an unforgettable psychological thriller. A young governess with the responsibility for two young orphans sees ghosts that she suspects have nefarious designs on her charges. The eerie novella's ambiguous ending has left readers speculating about James's ultimate intention for more than a century. This Warbler Classics edition includes James's preface to the authoritative 1908 publication of the tale as well as a detailed biographical timeline.

A Little Tour in France, has been regarded as significant work throughout human history, and in order to ensure that this work is never lost, we have taken steps to ensure its preservation by republishing this book in a contemporary format for both current and future generations. This entire book has been retyped, redesigned, and reformatted. Since these books are not made from scanned copies, the text is readable and clear.

Notes of a Son and Brother , has been regarded as significant work throughout human history, and in order to ensure that this work is never lost, we have taken steps to ensure its preservation by republishing this book in a contemporary format for both current and future generations. This entire book has been retyped, redesigned, and reformatted. Since these books are not made from scanned copies, the text is readable and clear.

Henry James acquaints his readers to his bi-national world of love and nostalgia in An International Episode. The book's principal concern, as in most of his novels, is the cultural distinctions and interactions between the New and Old Worlds. Two British gentlemen travel to the United States and meet two stunning American women, who later return the favour in London. Aside from the romantic aspect of the story, the narrative centers around cultural and social misunderstandings, faux pas, and false friends, making the work resemble a comedy of manners. In this book, James is clearly seen highlighting the contrast between the hospitality of Americans towards Europeans and the unfriendly nature with which upper class English men treat Americans. The inclusion of characters such as Willy Woodley, Mr. Westgate, and even Captain Littledale, who are introduced into the narrative as people of significance - only to vanish, having made very little contribution to the story, exemplifies the constructional uncertainties. They act as cyphers whose sole purpose is to transport the story from one point to another. Thus, the story does not hold as cohesively and does not have much sense of thematic density.

This seventeenth installment in the complete collection of Henry James’s known and extant letters records James’s ongoing efforts to care for his sister, develop his work, strengthen his professional status, build friendships, engage timely political and economic issues, and maximize his income.

The Turn of the Screw is a novella written by Henry James. Initially, it was serialized but later on published in book form. Regarded by many as one of the world?s most famous ghost stories, the story of The Turn of the Screw is narrated through the journal of a governess and describes her struggle to save her two young charges from the demonic influence of the uncanny apparitions of two former servants in the household. The novella has been adapted numerous times.The plot of this novella centered on an unnamed narrator and some of their friends who gather around a fire on the Christmas Eve. Douglas, one of them, reads a manuscript that tells the story of governess being hired by a man who has become responsible for his young niece Flora and nephew Miles following the deaths of their parents. Flora, is living in Bly, where she is cared for by Mrs. Grose, the housekeeper. Her uncle, the governess?s new employer, is uninterested in raising the children and gives her full charge. The story inspired critical debate over the question of the ghosts.

British-American author Henry James wrote the masterpiece Roderick Hudson and it did exceptionally well given that it was his debut novel. Before James R. Osgood & Company printed it as a multivolume compilation, it first appeared in a serialized form in 1875, published over the course of several issues of The Atlantic Monthly. The narrative is a bildungsroman that charts the hero's maturation as well as the emotional, psychological, and moral development he experiences along the way. The titular figure is a sculptor whose talent wins him the support of a wealthy benefactor, altering both men's lives and futures for all time. For Henry James, rather than the plot of the story, the main focus is always on the psychoanalysis of the characters and the inspection of their motivations. This book especially has a lot which can be dissected and compared. The comparison of master and craftsman is very apparent. The gifted and brilliant Roderick is put head to head with a hardworking simpleton. The brotherhood between Roderick and Rowland Mallet is unwavering so much so, that often they seem like opposing halves of a whole.

Due to his extensive and frequent traveling in Europe and America, Henry James was well known for his travel literature. Portrait of places (1883) written by Henry James can be seen as a travel book, reimagined. It is a record of the author's travel between the years 1876 and 1882 where he visited Italy, England, and France. These stories are so beautifully written that they are a perfect companion for your armchair travels or to guide you through Europe. The book starts in Venice and the itinerary takes us through Paris, Rheims, Normandy, and the Pyrenees while the narrator is traveling from Italy to France and in England we experience the beauty of Warwickshire and London. James' skillfully paints word-portraits that vividly conjure and bring forth the lesser known castles, alleys, monuments, events and festivals of Europe. The book also contains sketches of Newport; Niagara; Quebec; and Saratoga, scenic locales found in North America. The book successfully captures the historical and cultural beauty found by the author on both sides of the Atlantic while traveling for over a period of six years.

The unfinished novel The Sense of the Past by American novelist Henry James was released in 1917, one year after James' passing. The book is both a spooky story about time travel and a wistful comedy of manners. A young American switches places with a distant relative in early 19th-century England, where he finds numerous difficulties. A talented article on the reading of history was written by a young Ralph Pendrel from New York City. A distant English relative is so impressed by the essay that he leaves Ralph the estate of an 18th-century London home. As soon as Pendrel steps through the door, he senses time travel. In the book, Ralph Pendrel visits the American embassy in London and tries to explain the weird events that have been happening in his ancestor's home. Later, he enters the home and finds himself in the nineteenth century. The novel that James wrote in 1900 splits off at this point. After realizing that Ralph is truly a time traveler from the future, Nan made the ultimate sacrifice to assist Ralph in getting back to his own time and Aurora Coyne, the lady he had previously been spurned by. James wrote a lot of notes about how the book would go on. Here, the story ends entirely.

Eugene Pickering is a prime example of this kind of longish short tale, one of Henry James' specialties, which explores philosophical issues through in-depth character profiles. James compares and contrasts two archetypes in it: a bookish scholar who has spent the majority of his life mainly sheltered and a streetwise "doer" who is keenly aware of his surroundings. Eugene Pickering was written by Henry James in various chapters which signifies an interesting message. Same as his other novels like The Turn of the Screw, The Portrait of a Lady, Daisy Miller, The Ambassadors, and The Wings of the Dove, in this novel, Henry James has put the final fact of this novel to his audience and readers. Several years ago, before gambling was outlawed, it was in Homburg. The entire world gathered to listen to the orchestra on the terrace of the Kursaal and the esplanade below it. In the game rooms surrounding the tables, there were just as many people. The Prayer from Der Freischutz was being played by the orchestra, but Weber's beautiful melody simply made my memories even hazier.

Henry James' novel The Portrait of a Lady was first made available as a serial in The Atlantic Monthly and also in Macmillan's Magazine in the years 1880-1881 before being printed as a book in that same year. It is quite possibly one of James' most well-known long novels and is hailed by critics as one of his best works. The Portrait of a Lady tells the tale of Isabel Archer, an adventurous young American woman who finds it difficult to "confront her destiny". She receives a sizable inheritance from her uncle and later falls prey to the plotting of two American expats. It takes place in Europe, primarily in England and Italy, like the majority of James's works. The subjects of individual freedom, accountability, and treachery are also dealt with in a significant manner. It is expected that Isabel Archer, a stunning and vivacious American, would get married soon when her affluent Aunt Touchett brings her to Europe. However, Isabel is adamant about choosing her own destiny, so she doesn't think twice before rejecting two potential suitors. She then finds herself attracted to Gilbert Osmond, who is a cruelty incarnate beneath his façade of elegance and refinement. Isabel's tale of love and betrayal still touches audiences today because of its extreme poignancy.

Shakespeare is thought to have inspired only five of the 20 poems in William Jaggard's "The Passionate Pilgrim" (1599) anthology, which was given the "W. Shakespeare" credit on the title page. These two sonnets, along with three other poems taken from the play Love's Labour's Lost, were later included in the 1609 collection of Shakespeare's sonnets. Shakespeare is not who is claimed to be on the title page, according to both internal and external evidence. During his lifetime, two were published in other collections under an anonymous name, and five were credited to other poets. While the majority of critics rule out the remaining poems as not being Shakespearean due to stylistic differences, Ward Elliott and Robert Valenza's stylometric analysis placed two blocks of the poems within Shakespeare's style parameters. The Passionate Pilgrim was first published in octavo, probably in 1599 or possibly the year before. The first edition survives only in two sheets (poems 1-5, 16-18) preserved at the Folger Shakespeare Library. There are still two copies of the second edition (O2) from 1599. It is a collection of 20 poems that were first credited to William Shakespeare and was published in 1599 by William Jaggard.

American author Henry James's short story "The Figure in the Carpet" was initially published in 1896 and is sometimes regarded as a novel. The story is recounted in the first person; the unnamed narrator meets his favorite author and becomes fixated on learning the hidden meaning or purpose behind each of the author's works. "The Figure in the Carpet's" significance has eluded precise interpretation. Ford Madox Ford stated in his book Henry James (1913) that once it was released, James's contemporaries embarked on a search for the Figure as a recognizably physical being. We all look for the Figure in the Carpet these days. Eliot said in the introduction to his 1941 book A Choice of Kipling's Verse. It's possible that James's Figure is an actual thing that, like a talisman, makes it easier to understand his own creation. Vereker admits to the narrator that all of his detractors have missed his point, which is "Immense." Corvick and his fiancée, Gwendolen, pursue "the trick" without success until they are married. The knowledge of his late wife's major "secret" shocks and humiliates the widower husband. This novel by Henry James is written by Sir Henry James in interesting short stories.

American author Henry James wrote the travelog ''A Little Tour in France.'' The book En Province, which was serialized in The Atlantic Monthly from 1883 to 1884 under the title, describes a six-week trip James took to numerous provincial French cities, including Tours, Bourges, Nantes, Toulouse, Arles, and many others. In 1884, the first book was published. In 1900, a second, considerably updated version with pictures by Joseph Pennell was released. In the first line of the first chapter of the original magazine serial, James states: "Paris may be France, but Paris is not France." He intended the book to be a description of the provinces and perhaps even a tribute to them. Before deciding to settle in London in 1876, James had attempted to live in Paris. When he went back to France in 1882, he was able to see more of French rural life than he had before. Author Henry James visited France in 1882 and described his experiences in an easygoing, urbane, witty style. He was particularly interested in ancient cathedrals and castles, the less restored the better. There's little attempt at generalization or abstract theorizing; he is content to describe as accurately as possible.

The novel ''Daisy Miller'' by Sir Henry James first appeared in The Cornhill Magazine in June-July 1878 and was published as a book the following year. It features Daisy Miller, a beautiful American girl, being courted by Winterbourne, a sophisticated member of her country. Her flirtatiousness, which is frowned upon by the other expatriates when they gather in Switzerland and Italy, hinders his pursuit of her. In Vevey, Switzerland, Frederick Winterbourne and Annie "Daisy" Miller first cross paths. The novel presents a scenario of Winterbourne allegedly vacationing from his studies (an attachment to an older lady is rumored) They are introduced by Randolph Miller, Daisy's nine-year-old brother. Daisy Miller is described as a flower in full bloom, without inhibitions, and in the springtime of her life. Henry James uses Daisy's story to talk about the stereotypes he thinks Americans and Europeans have of one another as well as the prejudices that exist in all cultures. Novelist Henry James' Winterbourne is torn between attachment and his suffocating social milieu. The novella's final act has yet to unfold, but we cannot help but conclude that the real tragedy lies here in Winterbourne's relief over Daisy's behavior.

Henry James' 1903 book "The Ambassadors" was first released as a serial in the North American Review (NAR). The dark comedy book centers on Lewis Lambert Strether, the main character, as he travels to Europe to reintegrate the son of his widowed fiancée into the family company. The book is told from Strether's perspective in the third person. The novel consists of Lewis Lambert Strether (character in the novel) being sent to Paris by his fiancée to find her wayward son Chad. Strether's transition from an American to a European perspective is detailed in the book. Strether encounters Maria Gostrey, who provides him with insightful information on European culture (and the reader). Strether's personal introduction to Paris begins to widen his own head and heart to a more expansive understanding of the possibilities the world has to offer. Strether's friendship with Madame de Vionnet will be severed if Chad decides to go back to Woollett. Even for James's work, The Ambassadors' publishing history is convoluted. Before The Wings of the Dove (1902), between October 1900 and July 1901, he wrote the book, but he did not immediately find a publisher.

Between 1885 and 1886, Sir Henry James' work ''The Bostonians'' was first published as a serial in The Century Magazine before being turned into a book in 1886. The unusual triangle at the center of this bittersweet tragicomedy is formed by Basil Ransom, a political conservative from Mississippi, Olive Chancellor, a feminist from Boston, and Verena Tarrant, Olive's lovely, young apprentice in the feminist movement. Additionally, there are numerous political activists, journalists, and strange eccentrics in the book. The conflict that Ransom and Olive have over Verena's allegiance and dedication is at the heart of the story. Basil Ransom, a lawyer and Civil War veteran, sparks a romantic interest in the main character. He convinces her to move away from her home and pursue education in the feminist movement. The Bostonians deal with openly political topics, in contrast to much of James' writing. Due in part to prevailing customs at the time, Olive's potential lesbian desire for Verena is not made clear. A colorful supporting ensemble of would-be reformers, cynical journalists, and hangers-on surrounds the main characters. Verena Tarrant is a stunning young woman who, despite being passive and undecided, is an enthralling orator for women's rights, and Olive Chancellor.

Henry James' novel The Portrait of a Lady was first made available as a serial in The Atlantic Monthly and also in Macmillan's Magazine in the years 1880-1881 before being printed as a book in that same year. It is quite possibly one of James' most well-known long novels and is hailed by critics as one of his best works to date. The Portrait of Lady Volume II starts off in Rome where Isabel is seen rejecting Lord Warburton in the opening chapters while also being chased by Gilbert Osmond, the American expatriate she meets in the first volume of the novel. The book takes place in Europe, primarily in England and Italy, like the majority of James's works. The sequel majorly focuses on Isabel's life after her marriage to Gilbert Osmond and explores her relationship with Osmond's apparent daughter from his first marriage, Pansy. The novel gives the readers an open ending where they are free to interpret whether Isabel chooses to stay by Osmond's side in her loveless and abusive marriage or whether she rescues Pansy and leaves Osmond along with her. Isabel's tale of love and betrayal still touches audiences today because of its extreme poignancy.

Henry James released his little novel The Europeans: A Sketch in 1878. In essence, it is a comedy that contrasts the actions and viewpoints of two European tourists with those of their relatives who reside in the "new" world of New England. The Atlantic Monthly published the serialized version of the book from July to October of 1878. The story begins in Boston and New England in the middle of the 19th century and details the transition from the old to the new world for two European siblings. Eugenia Münster and Felix Young, the two protagonists, have been traveling between France, Italy, and Germany since they were young children.The patriarchal Mr. Wentworth, his son Clifford, 20, and his two daughters Gertrude and Charlotte captivate Felix. In contrast to Felix, who is content to accept the gift of a little house but values his independence, Eugenia's response is different. Her brother, on the other hand, is perfectly content to spend all of his time with Charlotte and Gertrude, spending countless hours painting portraits in their piazza or garden.

A father tries to prevent a relationship between his innocent daughter and the man he thinks wants to wed her for her money in Henry James' 1880 book Washington Square.Catherine Sloper, an innocent and reserved person, lives with her dictatorial father, Dr. Austin Sloper, in 1840s New York City. Lavinia Penniman, Catherine's idealistic aunt, offers her comfort. Dr. Sloper learns that Arthur Townsend has moved in with his widowed sister after squandering his previous bequest. Townsend believes he'll wed Catherine nevertheless, and the two are preparing to run away together.While Aunt Penniman extends Townsend an invitation to stay at the Sloper house while they are away, Sloper sends his daughter to Europe for a year in the hopes that she will forget about Townsend. Sloper tries to persuade Catherine out of her engagement when they are in Switzerland, but she resists, shocking Sloper with her determination. Catherine is so heartbroken that she won't even consider another love possibility. She devotes the ensuing years to charitable work and taking care of her ailing father. Townsend and Catherine have one final encounter, which Aunt Penniman arranges. She rejects his attempts now that she is older and wiser and accepts her existence as a spinster.

Henry James creates a harrowing analysis of society and its workings in The Awkward Age (1899) by exploring the English character and the conflict between new and old money along with a subtle satirical touch. James wrote The Awkward Age around the same time as The Turn of the Screw (1898) and What Maisie Knew (1896), both of which explore how the actions of the adults around young children threaten their innocence. In the beginning it seems like James' main concern in the novel is to resolve the vulnerability of Nanda so that she can thrive in an environment of questionable adult influences. But as the story progresses we see that James focuses on unimportant details like how much one character knows about another or what flimsy prior relationship can arise to disgrace someone. Nanda's parents and their acquaintances are such negative influences that we are led to assume she needs protection at the beginning of the book; nevertheless, by the end, she has developed the same cunning and deceitful tendencies as them. The Awkward Age is one of the most well-rounded and in some ways even the most intimate out of all James' masterpieces.

Published by Macmillan Company and William Heinemann in June 1896, Embarrassments written by Henry James is a collection of novellas which deal with a certain type of embarrassment in different ways. The book consists of four stories viz. "The Figure in the Carpet", "Glasses", "The Next Time", and "The Way It Came". The Figure in the Carpet was first published in Cosmopolis in January/February 1896 and it follows the story of an unnamed narrator as he obsesses over an author and his works. He goes to extreme lengths to figure out the secret meaning hidden in his works. In the second story, Glasses, which first appeared in the Atlantic Monthly in February 1896, we see an orphan woman whose only motive in life is to get a husband, and she would stop at nothing to realize that goal. The Next Time was first featured in The Yellow Book issue #6, in July 1895. It is the shortest story out of all and majorly focuses on the moral that the quality of writing does not ensure popularity and vice versa. Lastly, The Wait It Came, which was first published in Chapman's Magazine of Fiction (London) in May 1896 can be enjoyed for its romantic woes with a touch of the supernatural.

Henry James' story ''In the Cage'' was initially made available as a book in 1898. The protagonist of this lengthy tale is an anonymous London telegraphist. As she waits in the "cage" at the post office, she deciphers hints about the private lives of her clients from the frequently cryptic telegrams they send her. The telegraphist, who is perceptive and knowledgeable, eventually learns more information than she may have wanted to. An unnamed telegraphist works in a post office in a fashionable London neighborhood. She becomes "engaged" with Captain Everard and Lady Bradeen, a couple of lovers. By remembering certain code numbers in the telegrams, she manages to reassure them that their secrets are safe. The protagonist of in the Cage can be seen as a version of the artist, constructing a complex finished work from the slightest hints. Her knack for deducing details of her customers' lives from their brief, cryptic telegrams is similar in some ways to James' ability to invent stories from the tiniest suggestions. Her function was to dole out stamps and postal orders, weigh letters, answer stupid questions and give difficult change.