Gratitude by Roy Norton
"Gratitude" by Roy Norton is a short story set in the rugged landscape of Alaska during the early 20th century. The narrative centers around the themes of gratitude, morality, and justice, following a group of miners known as "the Competents" who navigate their experiences in a small mining camp. The story explores the complex relationship between two central characters, Shakespeare George, who upholds a strong sense of justice, and Laughing Jim, a
charming yet unscrupulous gambler. The plot unfolds as Shakespeare George and his mining partners confront a series of events involving Laughing Jim, whose gambling exploits lead to a near-fatal confrontation with another miner, Phil Mahoney. George intervenes to save Jim during a moment of crisis, demanding that Jim cease his gambling ways as repayment. However, in a turn of irony, Jim betrays George's trust by robbing him of his hard-earned gold dust. When the Competents learn of Jim's treachery, they set off to confront him, only to discover Jim fatally wounded in a confrontation with Mahoney. The story culminates with George and his partners recognizing Jim's complex nature—he existed as both a cunning gambler and a man capable of noble sacrifices—ultimately leading to a poignant reflection on gratitude and redemption, as George honors Jim with a heartfelt epitaph. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Norton, Roy, 1869-1942 |
|---|---|
| Title | Gratitude |
| Original Publication | New York: Street and Smith, 1913. |
| Series Title | Produced from the December 1, 1913 issue of The Popular Magazine. |
| Credits | Roger Frank and Sue Clark |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 78.0 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature |
| Subject | Short stories |
| Subject | Gold miners -- Alaska -- Fiction |
| Category | Text |
| EBook-No. | 71939 |
| Release Date | Oct 23, 2023 |
| Copyright Status | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 241 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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