The Heroes of the School or, The Darewell Chums Through Thick and Thin
Chapman, AllenProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019
Rating 2.3- Word count
- 226K words
- Chapters
- 23
Tags
English Originals Young Adult Fiction Campus LifeAdventure JourneyClassmate BondYouth PortraitsTeam SpiritGrowing UpSense of JusticeYouthful PassionStudent ReadingSummary
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.The Heroes of the School; or, The Darewell Chums Through Thick and Thin by ChapmanAuthor: Chapman, Allen,Language: English, Class: PZ: Language and Literatures: Juvenile belles lettres, Release Date: Sep 2, 2011Editor's review
This is a typical boys' school adventure novel, centered on the friendship and shared experiences of several companions in the town of Darewell, emphasizing the themes of sticking together through thick and thin and trusting one another. As a free Project Gutenberg eBook, its value lies first in accessibility: readers can enjoy a complete English public-domain boys' book at no cost, making it suitable for observing the narrative conventions of early twentieth-century English juvenile fiction—school life, comradeship, unforeseen incidents, and moral growth. The language is generally plain, the plot moves directly, and the chapters are short, so the reading burden is light. Its highlight is the ensemble portrayal of companionship; the interactions among the characters drive the story rather than any complex premise. It suits extensive reading in English, supplementary reading for courses on juvenile literature, or as a way to understand the public-domain eBook ecosystem and the landscape of early juvenile literature. Note that, given its early date, some usages and plot patterns differ from contemporary boys' fiction; readers should approach it with a literary-historical perspective rather than judging it by today's pacing standards.Who it's for
A good fit for
- High school upperclassmen seeking English original boys' adventure novels for extensive reading
- Readers and teachers studying the conventions of early twentieth-century English juvenile literature
- Casual readers who enjoy ensemble school companionships and light, direct plots
- Self-learners who want to expand their reading with free public-domain eBooks
Not a good fit for
- Mature fiction readers who prefer complex structures, multi-strand narratives, and psychological depth
- Beginners with weak English who need annotations or bilingual editions
- Young readers expecting contemporary pacing and strong suspense
Reading tips
- Read the first two chapters to get a sense of the character relationships, and note each companion's name and personality tag on a sheet of paper.
- Proceed chapter by chapter, one or two per day, and summarize each chapter's core event in one sentence after finishing it.
- Mark unfamiliar old-fashioned expressions without looking them up immediately, then review them together after a section to keep reading fluently.
- After finishing, compare it with contemporary school novels and write down differences in narrative approach and character portrayal.
About the publisher
Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971Project 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.
Contents
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
FAQ
What English level is this book roughly suited to?
It is generally plain narrative with short sentences and vocabulary drawn mainly from everyday and school settings, suited to readers with a high school English reading foundation who can read English paragraphs continuously. There are a few old-fashioned usages and period terms, but they do not hinder understanding of the main line, and the eBook's search function allows quick checking.Why does the recommended edition emphasize that it is a free eBook?
The book is published by Project Gutenberg as a free public-domain eBook resource, with a low barrier to access, making it suitable for extensive reading in quantity and classroom supplementary use. Readers should note that the text comes from early digitization, with limited formatting and annotation; focus on the content rather than expecting the fine editing of modern publications.Is the story's focus on adventure or on character relationships?
Judging from the available information, the title emphasizes the companions sticking together through thick and thin, with the core in ensemble friendship and shared experiences; adventure incidents serve more as scenes that drive changes in relationships. While reading, focus on how the companions support one another and handle trouble rather than expecting high-intensity suspenseful adventure.This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.
About the author
Chapman, Allen AuthorAllen Chapman is an author of English-language juvenile fiction about whom little is publicly documented; his nationality, dates of birth and death, and true identity remain unclear. Judging from the twenty-five works held in the collection, he wrote mainly adventure and coming-of-age stories for young readers, often set against railroads, school life and winter camps. Representative works include the "Ralph" series, such as Ralph, the Train Dispatcher and Ralph of the Roundhouse, which follow a railway boy's work and adventures, and the "Tom Fairfield" books, such as Tom Fairfield's Pluck and Luck and Tom Fairfield's Schooldays, which explore school friendship and tests of courage and reputation. The narratives are brisk, suspenseful and uplifting, portraying diligent, upright and responsible boys and lending themselves to themes of duty and friendship.