The juggler

"The Juggler" by Charles Egbert Craddock is a novel written in the late 19th century. Set in a remote mountain community in Tennessee, it revolves around a mysterious juggler who arrives in Etowah Cove, surprising the locals with his extraordinary performances. The story explores themes of superstition, the clash between tradition and the unknown, and the complexities of human interaction in a close-knit society. At the start of the narrative, the arrival of the juggler heralds a significant change in the mundane lives of the inhabitants of Etowah Cove, who have only been accustomed to religious gatherings and schooling in their little log schoolhouse. His initial act, which includes swallowing a bayonet and the ensuing chaos among the audience, sets a tone of both curiosity and conflict, especially as it draws the ire of a local preacher condemning such antics as devilish. As the juggler navigates the reactions of the crowd, his internal turmoil and past hauntings surface, hinting at deeper issues that may threaten his safety in this superstitious community. With the excitement of the show juxtaposed against the juggler’s own anxieties, the opening chapters lay a rich foundation for exploring the intricate dynamics at play in the story. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Mary Noailles Murfree was an American author of novels and short stories who wrote under the pen name Charles Egbert Craddock. She is considered by many to be Appalachia's first significant female writer and her work a necessity for the study of Appalachian literature, although a number of characters in her work reinforce negative stereotypes about the region. She has been favorably compared to Bret Harte and Sarah Orne Jewett, creating post-Civil War American local-color literature.