It, and Other Stories

In Short

This volume is a diverse gathering of short stories that traverse the globe, moving from the orchid-haunted morasses of remote beaches to the manicured drawing-rooms of New York and Aiken. The collection centers on the unpredictable ways people grapple with ambition, poverty, romance, and the existential weight of adulthood. Whether dealing with survival in the wilderness or the suffocating social webs of the wealthy, these stories remain resonant due to their sharp, observant prose and an enduring fascination with the fine line between cynicism and genuine human connection.

The Story

The collection opens with "It," a harrowing and surreal account of a man who lands on the isolated, insect-ridden Prana Beach. He discovers a strange society where a local tribe worships a mysterious, god-like figure who has been shipwrecked there. The story details the protagonist’s immersion into a world where his own past life—represented by his ruined dress suit and bank notes—is rendered absurd by the tribe’s genuine, almost childlike adoration of his "genius."

From this feverish start, the book pivots to the domestic and social dramas of American life. In "The Bride’s Dead," a couple attempts to find freedom through a bold escape, only to be toyed with by a mysterious, larger-than-life figure named Farallone, who turns their rebellion into a bizarre game. The narrative tone shifts again with the story of Daisy Obloski, a young girl living in a crowded tenement. Her life is one of relentless labor and selfless devotion to her family, yet her grace and beauty attract the attention of a "futile" young missionary who dreams of saving her, only to abandon her to her harsh reality without a backward glance.

Other tales, such as "Sapphira," explore the intersection of commerce and romance. A young man named David Larkin finds himself in Aiken, struggling against financial ruin and the strictures of his own conscience. His journey toward securing his future is inextricably tied to his budding love for a girl whose grandfather is the very man holding the strings of his destiny. Through these encounters, the stories repeatedly ask what it means to be truly "grown up."

The collection concludes with "Asabri," which follows a sophisticated man who plays a role in the lives of a young couple, only to return to his own life of privilege. As he reflects on his experiences, he finds himself in a debate with his aging valet about the folly of taking the world seriously. The arc of the book is one of gradual refinement, moving from the raw, dangerous survival of the jungle to the quiet, melancholy realizations of the city. Throughout, characters are forced to confront the "dark side" of their circumstances, ultimately learning that the only true wisdom is to retain a sense of wonder and to reject the cynicism that often accompanies the passage of time.

How It Unfolds

The exotic landing The narrator arrives on a desolate, forbidden beach where local people treat a stranded outsider as a god. He observes their ritualistic worship and the strange, haunting beauty of their devotion, which strips away the meaning of his own civilized possessions.

The domestic web A young woman named Cynthia seeks out the mother of her beloved, G.G., to bridge the gap between their lives. Through a series of tense, intimate conversations, she and G.G.’s mother navigate the suffocating social expectations that threaten the young man’s happiness and health.

The game of escape Two lovers attempt to flee their social obligations, only to be intercepted by the enigmatic Farallone. He turns their desperate flight into a psychological playground, revealing that their desire for "liberty" is easily manipulated by someone who understands their internal struggles.

The tenement reality Daisy, a young girl burdened by the poverty and greed of her family, becomes the object of a young man’s romantic and social fantasies. While he believes he is helping her, his ultimate withdrawal highlights the disconnect between the privileged and those who must survive the grind of daily existence.

The final reflection Asabri navigates the complexities of wealth and youth, eventually reconciling himself to his own aging. In a final, gentle confrontation with his servant, he asserts that the secret to a meaningful life is to refuse to take the world’s seriousness to heart.

The People

The characters in these stories are defined by their resilience against roles they did not choose. Cynthia stands out as a woman of profound quiet strength, whose ability to confront G.G.'s mother and challenge her conscience highlights the power of individual agency in the face of stifling social norms. G.G. himself, though often spoken of through others, represents the fragile, idealistic youth whose survival is a testament to the hope that young love might endure despite illness and poverty.

Daisy Obloski is perhaps the most poignant figure, a child who carries the weight of a family’s survival on her shoulders. Her luminosity and innocence serve as a mirror for those who encounter her, reflecting their own failures and fleeting, self-serving romanticism. In contrast, Asabri represents the detached observer, a man who moves through life with the luxury of choice, ultimately choosing to protect his own sense of youth and wonder even as he ages. Farallone acts as a catalyst, an unsettling force that strips away the pretenses of those he encounters, forcing them to look directly at the absurdity of their own desires and fears.

In Its Own Voice

"There was one shark, I remember, came in so close that he grounded, snout out, and made a noise like a pig."

The narrator describes the unsettling, visceral reality of landing on the remote and dangerous Prana Beach.

"When you lie to women and children, lie foolishly, so that they may know that you are making sport of them and may be ashamed."

A tribal medicine-man reveals the pragmatic, if cynical, wisdom used to maintain control over those who demand answers.

"In all the world, there is only one thing for a man to fear, that he will learn to take the world seriously; in other words, that he will grow up."

Asabri reflects on the philosophy that has sustained his spirit against the encroaching demands of age and duty.

What It's Really About

The collection is an inquiry into the nature of innocence and the inevitable corruption caused by "growing up." The author explores the tension between the raw, honest impulses of youth—love, devotion, wonder—and the artificial, often cruel structures of social and economic life. There is a recurring argument that the world is a stage where the powerful and the wealthy play games with the lives of those less fortunate, and that to survive this with one’s soul intact, one must learn to maintain a "bright side" even when the darkness of reality is visible. It questions whether the sacrifice of one's idealism is a necessary price for maturity, or if wisdom lies in stubbornly refusing to believe that the world is as bleak as it appears.

Why Read It Today

Readers who appreciate early twentieth-century prose will find this collection particularly rewarding. The writing possesses a crisp, observant quality that treats both the absurdity of human behavior and the gravity of suffering with a consistent, measured tone. Those who enjoy stories that blend adventure with social commentary will find the shifts between the wild, mythical landscapes of the opening stories and the parlor-room tensions of the later ones to be a satisfying journey.

However, the reader should be prepared for the period attitudes present in the text. The author employs the vernacular and racial descriptors typical of 1912, which can be jarring to a contemporary reader. Similarly, the stark differences in the treatment of characters based on their class and gender reflect the specific social hierarchies of the author’s time. If you can approach the text as an artifact of its era, you will find a collection that is deeply human, occasionally surreal, and consistently skeptical of the "serious" adult world. It leaves you with the sense that life is a precarious, beautiful, and often ridiculous venture, and that holding onto a bit of mystery is perhaps the most sensible way to live.