The Octopus : A Story of California by Frank Norris

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Author Norris, Frank, 1870-1902
Title The Octopus : A Story of California
Note Reading ease score: 81.1 (6th grade). Easy to read.
Credits Produced by John Hamm, and David Widger
Summary "The Octopus: A Story of California" by Frank Norris is a novel written during the late 19th century. The narrative follows Presley, a poet reflecting on his quest for a grand subject to write about, amid the turmoil and complexities of agricultural life in California's San Joaquin Valley. Initially, he aims to capture the essence of the West and its burgeoning society, clashing with the mundane and harsh realities of ranch life, particularly the struggles against railroad monopolies and drought conditions. The beginning of the novel introduces Presley, who sets off on a cycling journey to Guadalajara but becomes embroiled in the conflicts faced by farmers in the region. He interacts with various characters, such as the German ranch hand Hooven and Harran Derrick, the son of a ranch owner, revealing the underlying tensions due to failed crops and plans for crop management. As Presley navigates through this landscape, he confronts both the romanticized beauty of the California countryside and the stark realities of agricultural economics, foreshadowing the conflict between individuals and the larger societal forces represented by the metaphorical "Octopus" of the railroads. This interplay of character, setting, and conflict underscores the thematic depth that Norris explores throughout the work. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Language English
LoC Class PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature
Subject Didactic fiction
Subject Farm life -- Fiction
Subject Mussel Slough Tragedy, 1880 -- Fiction
Subject Wheat farmers -- Fiction
Subject Farmers -- Fiction
Subject San Joaquin Valley (Calif.) -- Fiction
Subject California -- Fiction
Subject Railroad stories
Category Text
EBook-No. 268
Release Date
Most Recently Updated Jan 28, 2021
Copyright Status Public domain in the USA.
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