Three lives; stories of the good anna, melanctha, and the gentle lena (1909). by: gertrude stein: three lives (1909) was american writer gertrude stei - gertrude stein

Three Lives (1909) was American writer Gertrude Steins first published book.

The book is separated into three stories, The Good Anna, Melanctha, and The Gentle Lena.

The three stories are independent of each other, but all are set in Bridgepoint, a fictional town based on Baltimore.

The Good Anna, the first of Gertrude Steins Three Lives, is a novella set in Bridgepoint about Anna Federner, a servant of solid lower middle-class south german stock.

Part I describes Annas happy life as housekeeper for Miss Mathilda and her difficulties with unreliable under servants and stray dogs and cats.

She loves her regular dogs Baby, an old, blind, terrier; bad Peter, loud and cowardly; and the fluffy little Rags.

Anna is the undisputed authority in the household, and in her five years with Miss Mathilda she oversees in turn four under servants: Lizzie, Molly, Katy, and Sallie.

Sometimes even the lazy and benign Miss Mathilda feels rebellious under Annas iron hand; she is also concerned because Anna is always giving away money, and tries to protect her from her many poor friends.

Part II, The Life of the Good Anna, fills in the background.

Born in Germany, in her teens Anna emigrates to the far South, where her mother dies of consumption.

She moves to Bridgepoint near her brother, a baker, and takes charge of the household of Miss Mary Wadsmith and her young nephew and niece, who are orphans.

Little Jane resists Annas strong will, but after Anna has provoked a showdown becomes careful and respectful and even gives Anna a green parrot.

When after six years Jane is finally married, Anna refuses to follow Miss Mary in the new household.

Lehntman, a widow and midwife who was the romance of Annas life, helps Anna tell Miss Wadsmith that she cannot accompany her.

Anna then goes to work for Doctor Shonjen, a hearty bachelor, with whom she gets along.

Previously Shonjen has operated on her, and Annas general health remains poor: she has headaches and is thin and worn.

When Mrs.

Lehntman, who has two careless children, adopts a baby without consulting Anna, the latter is offended and spends more time with another large working family, the Drehtens.

She also visits her brother the baker, but has trouble with her sister-in-law, though she eventually helps with her savings when her god-daughter niece is married.

Lehntman rashly decides to open a boarding house, and Anna despite her misgivings lends her the necessary money, for Romance.