Her Own Way

Fitch, Clyde, 1865-1909Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.1

Word count: 164K words
Chapters: 17

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.Her Own Way by Clyde FitchAuthor: Fitch, Clyde, 1865-1909,Language: English, Class: PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature, Release Date: Jul 4, 2005

Editor's review

Her Own Way is a work by the American playwright Clyde Fitch, classified under American literature and released free by Project Gutenberg. Fitch was known for writing for the stage, and his texts tend to prize the rhythm of dialogue and conflict between characters; this book reflects that trait, with dialogue driving the action strongly. As a public-domain electronic text, it is easy to search and cite, and it offers a window into the shape of popular American dramatic literature in the early twentieth century. Readers might approach it as a play script meant to be read silently, noting the verbal sparring and shifts of situation. Note that the original has no modern annotations and its language carries period features, so readers should allow for some historical distance.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in early American drama and stage texts
Readers who enjoy narratives driven by dialogue
Learners with intermediate English willing to try reading a play script
Enthusiasts studying early twentieth-century popular American literature

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting strong action scenes or fast-paced suspense
Beginners who need detailed notes and introductions to enter an English classic

Reading tips

Try reading scene by scene, pausing after each exchange of dialogue to imagine the staging
Note differences in how characters speak; this is key to Fitch's characterization
If time is limited, read the key dialogue passages first, then go back to the surrounding text
Keep pen and paper to record character relationships, which helps clarify what is implied in dialogue

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 a play or a novel?

Judging from Fitch's identity as a playwright and the work's characteristics, the book has clear features of a dramatic text, driven mainly by dialogue and scenes. Readers can read it as a play, focusing on characters' words and scene changes, rather than judging it by the structure of a traditional novel.

Can I understand it without notes?

Intermediate English reading ability should be enough to attempt it. Period expressions may cause difficulty; read through first for the general sense, look up individual hard words as needed, and don't give up on the whole for the sake of details.

Is it suitable for classroom teaching?

It can serve as supplementary material for American literature or drama reading, especially for discussing character dialogue and stage presentation. Teachers will need to supply background themselves, since the Gutenberg edition offers no modern introduction or notes.

Comments

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About the author

Fitch, Clyde, 1865-1909 Author

Clyde Fitch (1865–1909) was an American playwright known for his social comedies and melodramas. Set largely against the backdrop of urban upper-class life, his plays use witty dialogue and skillfully managed scenes to expose misunderstandings and conflicts among characters, in a light and often ironic style. Works such as The Girl with the Green Eyes, Her Own Way, and The Climbers revolve around emotional entanglements and social maneuvering, reflecting his keen observation of the manners of his time. Representative Plays collects some of his notable scripts, while The Smart Set: Correspondence & Conversations presents the words and ideas of his social circle. Public information is limited, and details of his life remain unclear, but his surviving works show his active presence and influence in early twentieth-century American commercial theater.