Prize Money

William Wymark JacobsProject Gutenberg · United StatesMar 2023

2.9

Word count: 22K words
Chapters: 3

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.Prize Money by W. W. JacobsAuthor: Jacobs, W. W. (William Wymark), 1863-1943,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Jan 1, 2004

Editor's review

Prize Money is another short work by Jacobs, taking everyday circumstance and the lure of money as its entry point. The author excels at making ordinary people's psychological swings when faced with unexpected wealth both funny and credible; the dialogue is brisk, the plot moves cleanly, and the ending often leaves a lingering, thought-provoking touch. As a public-domain eBook, it serves as a lightweight sample of the British humorous short story tradition and as practice in sensitivity to narrative tone and irony in English extensive reading. While reading, notice how characters persuade themselves and reveal their natures when small advantages are at stake—these details are the fulcrum of Jacobs-style humor. For readers with limited time who want a classic English short story, this is a small investment with a high degree of completion; but those expecting intense dramatic conflict or deep social critique should adjust their expectations.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy short humorous stories and a light reading experience
Intermediate to advanced learners practicing extensive reading in English literature
Readers interested in British short fiction about everyday town life
Organizers needing a brief text for book-club discussion

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer long narratives and complex character arcs
Beginner learners not yet able to read the English original independently
Readers expecting deep analysis of serious social issues

Reading tips

Read the first time for plot; the second time, note how characters shift psychologically around money
Mark one or two lines of dialogue you find most ironic and discuss your reading with a companion
Pair with an audiobook or read aloud to feel the rhythm of dialogue and the tone of humor

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 story similar in subject to The Head of the Family?

Both are Jacobs short stories, both known for everyday human nature and light irony, and both are short. Their plots are independent, so they can be read separately or compared for how the author handles different situations.

How difficult is the English?

It is a literary English short story with period flavor in syntax and vocabulary, fairly friendly to intermediate and advanced learners. Aim to grasp plot and tone; guess unfamiliar words from context first, then look them up together.

Any tips for reading the electronic edition?

This is a Project Gutenberg public-domain eBook, mainly plain text. Use a reader with adjustable font size and line spacing, and make good use of look-up functions to reduce reading friction.

Comments

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About the author

William Wymark Jacobs Author · British · 1863–1943

William Wymark Jacobs (1863–1943) was a British short-story writer, born in London in 1863 and died there in 1943. In his early years he lived around the Thames docks and was familiar with the lives of sailors and dockworkers, which led him to write a great many humorous sea stories, often in a light and witty tone. His best-known work, The Monkey's Paw, is a classic horror short story included in The Lady of the Barge (1902); noted for its tight suspense and sudden twists, it is still widely anthologized in horror collections. The library holds 109 of his works, including The Lady of the Barge and Others, Ship's Company, A Tiger's Skin, Captains All, and Night Watches; his common category is inspirational growth. Public information is limited and details of his life are largely unavailable, yet his fiction is distinctive in subject, blending humor with horror, and has had a lasting influence on later short-story writing.