All Sorts of Impossible Things (Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: John McGahern
- First Published: 1978
- Type of Plot: Realism
- Time of Work: The mid-twentieth century
- Setting: Rural Ireland
- Principal Characters: James Sharkey, Cathleen O’Neill, Tom Lennon, Mrs. Lennon, Charlie, A priest
- Genres: Short fiction
- Subjects: Teaching or teachers, Dogs, Twentieth century, Marriage, Rural or country life, Friendship, Fear, Death or dying, Hunting or hunters, Western Europe or western Europeans, Ireland or Irish people, Mortality, Aging, Isolation, Hats
- Locales: Ireland
The Story
“All Sorts of Impossible Things” is told in the first person, primarily through the point of view of the main character, lonely schoolmaster James Sharkey. The story begins with Sharkey and his friend Tom Lennon spending a Sunday afternoon hunting rabbits with two hounds; one, Coolcarra Queen, is a retired racing dog belonging to Lennon, and the other is a mongrel that Sharkey has borrowed from Charlie's bar. Though they are unaware of it, this will be their last Sunday spent hunting because of Lennon's failing health. After an afternoon without seeing any...
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