The Sentimentality of William Tavener
Encyclopedia
The Sentimentality of William Tavener is a short story by Willa Cather
. It was first published in Library
in May 1900.
. One day, Hester manages to talk her husband into letting their children go to the circus
after he remembers going to one; they realize they were both there but only found out just now, supposedly. This leads them to reminisce about their past in Virginia, which they haven't done for years, they were too concerned with budgeting their money and getting their work done using their children. William then goes to bed and when the children come home she gives them the money that he gave her for them to go to the circus and tells them to be careful on their way and not to wake their father going to bed.
Willa Cather
Willa Seibert Cather was an American author who achieved recognition for her novels of frontier life on the Great Plains, in works such as O Pioneers!, My Ántonia, and The Song of the Lark. In 1923 she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for One of Ours , a novel set during World War I...
. It was first published in Library
Library (journal)
-Overview:The magazine was only published over the course of six months, until it ran out of funds.Willa Cather published five original short stories , sixteen articles and seven poems...
in May 1900.
Plot summary
William and Hester, live in McPherson CountyMcPherson County
McPherson County is the name of several counties in the United States:* McPherson County, Kansas* McPherson County, Nebraska* McPherson County, South Dakota...
. One day, Hester manages to talk her husband into letting their children go to the circus
Circus
A circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
after he remembers going to one; they realize they were both there but only found out just now, supposedly. This leads them to reminisce about their past in Virginia, which they haven't done for years, they were too concerned with budgeting their money and getting their work done using their children. William then goes to bed and when the children come home she gives them the money that he gave her for them to go to the circus and tells them to be careful on their way and not to wake their father going to bed.
Characters
- William Tavener
- Hester Perkins, William's wife.
- The Howley boys
- Billy, one of William and Hester's children.
- Ellen Scribner
- Tap, Tom Smith's son, whom William hired to weed the corn so he could go to the circus as a child.
External links
- Full Text at the Willa Cather Archive