Dear Enemy

Webster, Jean, 1876-1916Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.8

Word count: 369K words
Chapters: 37

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Dear Enemy by Jean WebsterAuthor: Webster, Jean, 1876-1916,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Jul 3, 2008

Editor's review

Dear Enemy is a novel by Jean Webster that continues the brisk style of epistolary narrative. Set against the backdrop of an orphanage's management, the story advances character relationships and everyday conflicts through letters, with a tone that is humorous and observant. Its value lies not in grand plot but in using intimate letters to present shifts in character, the challenges of institutional management, and contemporary attitudes toward child care. As a public-domain eBook, it works well as an introductory English epistolary novel and is convenient for classroom discussion of narrative perspective and character voice. While reading, note how changes in letter recipients affect narrative tone, and how the author builds character growth from small everyday matters. Because detailed annotations are lacking, readers will need to fill in period background themselves.

Who it's for

A good fit for

English-language readers who enjoy epistolary novels and brisk narration
Readers interested in child welfare institutions and images of female administrators
Students who need a public-domain English text for classroom discussion or reading practice
Literature enthusiasts who want to understand early twentieth-century American popular fiction style

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer strong dramatic conflict and suspenseful plots
Researchers who need detailed historical annotations and scholarly introductions
Readers who are uncomfortable with the epistolary form and prefer continuous narrative

Reading tips

First clarify the relationships between letter writers and recipients, then move into specific events.
Note the shifts in tone caused by different recipients; keep a simple character-relationship chart.
Treat the orphanage's everyday management problems as a window into the social attitudes of the time.
After finishing, revisit the earliest letters and compare changes in the protagonist's attitude and wording.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book related to Daddy-Long-Legs?

Both works are by Jean Webster and both use the epistolary form, with similarities in style. But Dear Enemy is an independent story; the materials do not indicate a direct sequel relationship with Daddy-Long-Legs, so there is no need to read the other book first.

Isn't an epistolary novel very scattered to read?

An epistolary novel is indeed made up of many letters, with events driven by correspondence rather than continuous chapters. It is best to first build a character-relationship chart and then read in chronological order, which makes it easier to grasp the main thread behind everyday matters.

Is it suitable for learning English?

It can serve as English extensive reading material; the language is generally everyday and colloquial, and the letter tone is fairly natural. However, the book contains vocabulary related to institutional management and social background of the time, which may require supplementary checking, so it suits readers with some foundation.

Comments

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About the author

Webster, Jean, 1876-1916 Author

Jean Webster (1876–1916) was an American author. Public information about her education, awards and specific life experiences is limited; what can be confirmed is chiefly her literary output. Sixteen of her works are held in this collection, including Daddy-Long-Legs, Dear Enemy, Jerry, and Setä Pitkäsääri, Vadertje Langbeen, Het John Grier Home, Much Ado About Peter and Paras vihollinen, several of which are different-language versions of the same titles. Her writing often uses the epistolary form and a light, humorous tone, focusing on orphanages, the growth of young women and education, with lively dialogue and gentle social concern. Daddy-Long-Legs is her most widely circulated work and the one for which later readers remember her.