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My Uncle Sosthenes
Delve into the humorous and satirical narrative of Guy De Maupassant's "My Uncle Sosthenes." This short story presents the eccentricities of Uncle Sosthenes, a character whose quirks and peculiar behaviors lead to both comic and thought-provoking situations. De Maupassant skillfully uses humor to explore themes of family dynamics, social expectations, and the absurdity of human nature.
De Maupassant masterfully balances wit with sharp social commentary, creating a story that is both entertaining and insightful. His portrayal of Uncle Sosthenes offers a humorous yet poignant look at the idiosyncrasies that make each individual unique.
"My Uncle Sosthenes" is a delightful and clever story, perfect for readers who appreciate satire and the brilliant storytelling of one of France's greatest literary figures.
De Maupassant masterfully balances wit with sharp social commentary, creating a story that is both entertaining and insightful. His portrayal of Uncle Sosthenes offers a humorous yet poignant look at the idiosyncrasies that make each individual unique.
"My Uncle Sosthenes" is a delightful and clever story, perfect for readers who appreciate satire and the brilliant storytelling of one of France's greatest literary figures.
- GenresShort Stories
Unknown Binding
About the author
Guy de Maupassant
7,565 books3,070 followersHenri René Albert Guy de Maupassant was a popular 19th-century French writer. He is one of the fathers of the modern short story. A protege of Flaubert, Maupassant's short stories are characterized by their economy of style and their efficient effortless dénouement. He also wrote six short novels. A number of his stories often denote the futility of war and the innocent civilians who get crushed in it - many are set during the Franco-Prussian War of the 1870s.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 18, 2022
Guy de Maupassant's "My Uncle Sosthenes" is a short story warning not to play a joke unless you want to deal with the consequences.
Story in short- A nephew decides to trick his uncle after a night of drinking folly.
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Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11533
At eleven o’clock he was as drunk as a fly. So we had to take him home in a cab and put him to bed, and one could easily foresee that his anti-clerical demonstration would end in a terrible fit of indigestion. As I was going back to my lodgings, being rather drunk myself, with a cheerful drunkenness, a Machiavellian idea struck me which satisfied all my sceptical instincts. I arranged my necktie, put on a look of great distress, and went and, rang loudly at the old Jesuit’s door. As he was deaf he made me wait
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11537
a longish while, but at length appeared at his window in a cotton nightcap and asked what I wanted. I shouted out at the top of my voice: “Make haste, reverend sir, and open the door; a poor, despairing, sick man is in need of your spiritual ministrations.” The good, kind man put on his trousers as quickly as he could, and came down without his cassock. I told him in a breathless voice that my uncle, the Freethinker, had been taken suddenly ill, and fearing it
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11541
was going to be something serious, he had been seized with a sudden dread of death, and wished to see the priest and talk to him; to have his advice and comfort, to make his peace with the Church, and to confess, so as to be able to cross the dreaded threshold at peace with himself; and I added in a mocking tone: “At any rate, he wishes it, and if it does him no good it can do him no harm.”
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌spoiler alert
A nephew in trying to trick his non religious uncle ends up converting him and the priest he sent to his uncle after he was drunk was favored in his will instead of the nephew.
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11549
I hid under a neighboring gateway to wait results. Had he been well, my uncle would have half-murdered the Jesuit, but I knew that he would scarcely be able to move an arm, and I asked myself gleefully what sort of a scene would take place between these antagonists, what disputes, what arguments, what a hubbub, and what would be the issue of the situation, which
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11552
my uncle’s indignation would render still more tragic? I laughed till my sides ached, and said half aloud: “Oh, what a joke, what a joke!” Meanwhile it was getting very cold, and I noticed that the Jesuit stayed a long time, and I thought: “They are having an argument, I suppose.” One, two, three hours passed, and still the reverend father did not come out. What had happened? Had my uncle died in a fit when he saw him, or had he killed the cassocked
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11561
At six o’clock the Jesuit left, with a very happy and satisfied look on his face, and we saw him go away with a quiet step. Then, timid and ashamed, I went and knocked at the door of my uncle’s house; and when the servant opened it I did not dare to ask her any questions, but went upstairs without saying a word.
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11564
My uncle was lying, pale and exhausted, with weary, sorrowful eyes and heavy arms, on his bed. A little religious picture was fastened to one of the bed curtains with a pin. “Why, uncle,” I said, “in bed still? Are you not well?” He replied in a feeble voice: “Oh, my dear boy, I have been very ill, nearly dead.” “How was that, uncle?” “I don’t know; it was most surprising. But what is stranger still is that the Jesuit priest who has just left — you know, that excellent man
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11568
whom I have made such fun of — had a divine revelation of my state, and came to see me.” I was seized with an almost uncontrollable desire to laugh, and with difficulty said: “Oh, really!” “Yes, he came. He heard a voice telling him to get up and come to me, because I was going to die. I was a revelation.”
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11575
“Listen a moment, it is so astonishing — so astonishing and providential! He also spoke to me about my father; it seems he knew him formerly.” “Your father, uncle? But that is no reason for receiving a Jesuit.” “I know that, but I was very ill, and he looked after me most devotedly all night long. He was perfect; no doubt he saved my life; those men all know a little of medicine.”
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11591
“When is your Jesuit coming back?” I asked. “I don’t — I don’t know exactly; to-morrow, perhaps; but it is not certain.” I went out, altogether overwhelmed. My joke turned out very badly for me! My uncle became thoroughly converted, and if that had been all I should not have cared so much. Clerical or Freemason, to me it is all the same; six of one and half a dozen
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11594
of the other; but the worst of it is that he has just made his will — yes, made his will — and he has disinherited me in favor of that rascally Jesuit!
Story in short- A nephew decides to trick his uncle after a night of drinking folly.
➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11533
At eleven o’clock he was as drunk as a fly. So we had to take him home in a cab and put him to bed, and one could easily foresee that his anti-clerical demonstration would end in a terrible fit of indigestion. As I was going back to my lodgings, being rather drunk myself, with a cheerful drunkenness, a Machiavellian idea struck me which satisfied all my sceptical instincts. I arranged my necktie, put on a look of great distress, and went and, rang loudly at the old Jesuit’s door. As he was deaf he made me wait
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11537
a longish while, but at length appeared at his window in a cotton nightcap and asked what I wanted. I shouted out at the top of my voice: “Make haste, reverend sir, and open the door; a poor, despairing, sick man is in need of your spiritual ministrations.” The good, kind man put on his trousers as quickly as he could, and came down without his cassock. I told him in a breathless voice that my uncle, the Freethinker, had been taken suddenly ill, and fearing it
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11541
was going to be something serious, he had been seized with a sudden dread of death, and wished to see the priest and talk to him; to have his advice and comfort, to make his peace with the Church, and to confess, so as to be able to cross the dreaded threshold at peace with himself; and I added in a mocking tone: “At any rate, he wishes it, and if it does him no good it can do him no harm.”
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌spoiler alert
A nephew in trying to trick his non religious uncle ends up converting him and the priest he sent to his uncle after he was drunk was favored in his will instead of the nephew.
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11549
I hid under a neighboring gateway to wait results. Had he been well, my uncle would have half-murdered the Jesuit, but I knew that he would scarcely be able to move an arm, and I asked myself gleefully what sort of a scene would take place between these antagonists, what disputes, what arguments, what a hubbub, and what would be the issue of the situation, which
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11552
my uncle’s indignation would render still more tragic? I laughed till my sides ached, and said half aloud: “Oh, what a joke, what a joke!” Meanwhile it was getting very cold, and I noticed that the Jesuit stayed a long time, and I thought: “They are having an argument, I suppose.” One, two, three hours passed, and still the reverend father did not come out. What had happened? Had my uncle died in a fit when he saw him, or had he killed the cassocked
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11561
At six o’clock the Jesuit left, with a very happy and satisfied look on his face, and we saw him go away with a quiet step. Then, timid and ashamed, I went and knocked at the door of my uncle’s house; and when the servant opened it I did not dare to ask her any questions, but went upstairs without saying a word.
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11564
My uncle was lying, pale and exhausted, with weary, sorrowful eyes and heavy arms, on his bed. A little religious picture was fastened to one of the bed curtains with a pin. “Why, uncle,” I said, “in bed still? Are you not well?” He replied in a feeble voice: “Oh, my dear boy, I have been very ill, nearly dead.” “How was that, uncle?” “I don’t know; it was most surprising. But what is stranger still is that the Jesuit priest who has just left — you know, that excellent man
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11568
whom I have made such fun of — had a divine revelation of my state, and came to see me.” I was seized with an almost uncontrollable desire to laugh, and with difficulty said: “Oh, really!” “Yes, he came. He heard a voice telling him to get up and come to me, because I was going to die. I was a revelation.”
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11575
“Listen a moment, it is so astonishing — so astonishing and providential! He also spoke to me about my father; it seems he knew him formerly.” “Your father, uncle? But that is no reason for receiving a Jesuit.” “I know that, but I was very ill, and he looked after me most devotedly all night long. He was perfect; no doubt he saved my life; those men all know a little of medicine.”
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11591
“When is your Jesuit coming back?” I asked. “I don’t — I don’t know exactly; to-morrow, perhaps; but it is not certain.” I went out, altogether overwhelmed. My joke turned out very badly for me! My uncle became thoroughly converted, and if that had been all I should not have cared so much. Clerical or Freemason, to me it is all the same; six of one and half a dozen
Highlight (Yellow) | Location 11594
of the other; but the worst of it is that he has just made his will — yes, made his will — and he has disinherited me in favor of that rascally Jesuit!
July 26, 2021
It starts out threatening to be annoying diatribe, but ends quite amusingly.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews