Project Gutenberg 2013-11-10 Public domain in the USA. 344 Butler, Ellis Parker 1869 1937 Booth, Hanson 1885 1944 The Jack-Knife Man Produced by David Widger "The Jack-Knife Man" by Ellis Parker Butler is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story revolves around Peter Lane, a solitary shanty-boatman with dreams of adventure, who spends his days crafting wooden goods with his trusty jack-knife and fishing for sustenance. The narrative captures his interactions with other characters, including George Rapp, a liveryman, and the tragic figure of Lize Merdin, whose life has become entwined with Peter's as they navigate the complexities of loneliness, hope, and kindness. The opening of the book introduces us to Peter Lane in his shanty-boat, where he is visited by George Rapp, who wants to buy Peter's recently built boat. Peter, a thin, wiry man, is adamant about keeping his boat, which symbolizes his only home and refuge. Throughout their conversation, Peter shares his whimsical thoughts about his alarm clock, a metaphor for the unpredictability of life, and reminisces about the value of solitude while acknowledging his desire for connection. As the story progresses, we see the theme of compassion emerge when Peter unexpectedly hosts a woman and her child in his boat during a storm, highlighting his innate kindness and willingness to protect those in need. This opening sets the stage for Peter's journey of self-discovery and responsibility amid the backdrop of his humble life on the river. (This is an automatically generated summary.) file:///public/vhost/g/gutenberg/html/files/44150/44150-h/images/titlepage.jpg Reading ease score: 89.5 (6th grade). Easy to read. en Orphans -- Fiction United States -- Social life and customs -- Fiction Fathers and sons -- Fiction Widows -- Fiction River boats -- Fiction PS Text Browsing: Culture/Civilization/Society Browsing: Literature Browsing: Fiction Category: Novels Category: American Literature 317551 2025-06-17T18:34:15.779473 text/html 304946 2024-10-23T19:39:25 text/html 1047625 2025-06-17T18:34:20.636508 application/epub+zip 1052145 2025-06-17T18:34:16.689466 application/epub+zip 190630 2025-06-17T18:34:16.188513 application/epub+zip 1145832 2025-06-17T18:34:23.947466 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 1124872 2025-06-17T18:34:20.204480 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 264059 2022-09-20T07:07:56.010305 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 293682 2025-06-17T18:34:15.213575 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 293474 2018-03-11T11:22:14 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 18023 2025-06-17T18:34:24.101454 application/rdf+xml 9473 2025-06-17T18:34:16.309485 image/jpeg 1996 2025-06-17T18:34:16.248506 image/jpeg 1098982 2025-06-17T18:34:15.836476 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia