The Fear That Walks by Noonday

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"The Fear That Walks By Noonday"
Short story by Willa Cather
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Genre(s) Short story
Publication
Published inThe Sombrero
Publication typeUniversity yearbook
Publication date1894

"The Fear That Walks By Noonday" is a short story by Willa Cather. It was first published in The Sombrero, a yearbook published by the University of Nebraska in 1894. [1] [2]

Contents

Plot summary

A team of football players have a talk before a game against the 'Injuns'. In the previous matchup between the two teams, one of the opposing team players was fatally injured. Once the teams take the field, an unusual coldness comes over the playing field and a number of unexplained events take place. One player, Fred, passes out. Later, at the post-game dinner, a very morose atmosphere hangs over the proceedings. The story ends on a very different note when Reggie yells out McKinley's political victory.

Characters

Allusions to actual history

Literary significance and criticism

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References

  1. Willa Cather's Collected Short Fiction, University of Nebraska Press; Rev Ed edition, 1 Nov 1970, page 540
  2. "Frequently Asked Questions". University of Nebraska Yearbooks. University of Nebraska. Archived from the original on 27 May 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
  3. James Leslie Woodress, Willa Cather - A Literary Life, Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1989, page 83
  4. Susan J. Rosowski, Voyage Perilous: Willa Cather's Romanticism, Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1986