58 pages • 1 hour read
Morley CallaghanAll the Years of Her Life
Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1936A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Introduction
“All the Years of Her Life”
- Genre: Fiction; realistic short story; literary
- Originally Published: 1936
- Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 760L; grades 6-12
- Structure/Length: Approx. 4 pages; approx. 15 minutes on audio
- Protagonist and Central Conflict: Alfred Higgins is caught shoplifting by Mr. Carr, who owns the drugstore where he works. Instead of calling the police right away, Mr. Carr calls Alfred’s mother, who surprises both Mr. Carr and Alfred with her composure and grace in the situation.
- Potential Sensitivity Issues: Shoplifting; family conflict
Morley Callaghan, Author
- Bio: 1903-1990; Canadian novelist and short story writer; born in Toronto, Ontario; studied at both the University of Toronto and Osgoode Hall Law School; a prolific writer known for his realistic and poignant portrayals of ordinary people and their struggles; associated with the “Toronto school” of Canadian literature and a contemporary of renowned authors such as Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald; selected for Governor General’s Award for Fiction (1938) for More Joy in Heaven
- Other Works: Strange Fugitive (1928); It’s Never Over (1930); Such Is My Beloved (1934); More Joy in Heaven (1937); Luke Baldwin’s Vow (1948); A Fine and Private Place (1975)
CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Unit:
- The Development of Empathy
- The True Meaning of Maturity
- The Selflessness of Maternal Love
