26 pages • 52 minutes read
Henry JamesThe Jolly Corner
Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1908A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
Consider the description of Alice Staverton as a “pale pressed flower” (Chapter 1, Paragraph 4). What do these lines imply about gender roles in the story? Does Alice fit into this established norm?
What imagery does Henry James use to evoke the changes that have taken place in New York City? How does this imagery develop the work’s themes?
Discuss Spencer Brydon’s apparent alienation from his family. How does this contribute to the story’s meaning?
Compare and contrast the story with its 1975 film adaptation. What changes did the director make? Do these changes facilitate or change the story’s themes?
After waking up, Brydon says that Alice brought him back to life. In what ways does Brydon figuratively die? What is the significance of his death and rebirth to the story’s meaning?
What role does the romantic subplot play in the story? What role does love play in Brydon’s life?
The story repeatedly references the black-and-white tiles of Brydon’s childhood home. How do these tiles develop the symbolism of the jolly corner more broadly?
What role does Brydon’s alter ego play in this story? Is he a foil, antagonist, or something else entirely?
Consider the hunting motif that permeates Brydon’s exploration of the house. What does this add to the story?
What stylistic choices create suspense within the story? How do they do so?
Related Titles
By Henry James
