"Benediction" is a

short story A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the oldest ...

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

author F. Scott Fitzgerald, first published in

1920 Events January * January 1 ** Polish–Soviet War in 1920: The Russian Red Army increases its troops along the Polish border from 4 divisions to 20. ** Kauniainen, completely surrounded by the city of Espoo, secedes from Espoo as its own ma ...

in the February 1920 issue of ''

The Smart Set ''The Smart Set'' was an American literary magazine, founded by Colonel William d'Alton Mann and published from March 1900 to June 1930. Its headquarters was in New York City. During its Jazz Age heyday under the editorship of H. L. Mencken and G ...

''. It was republished shortly thereafter in Fitzgerald's short story collection ''

Flappers and Philosophers ''Flappers and Philosophers'' is the first collection of eight short stories by F. Scott Fitzgerald, published in 1920. All of the stories had been published earlier, independently, in either ''Saturday Evening Post'', or ''Scribner's Magazine''. ...

''.

Plot summary

A young girl, Lois, is on her way to a tryst with her lover, Howard. She stops to meet her much older brother, Kieth , who is in a seminary and about to become a priest. Lois sends a telegram upon her arrival in Baltimore. She wires Howard that she will meet him after her visit to a seminary to see her brother who is to be ordained a priest. She arrives by bus and is welcomed by Kieth who takes her on a tour of the grounds. They have not seen each other for many years. He informs her that he anticipated the meeting between them. They discuss their pasts. She informs him that she is not a devout Catholic. She tells him: "It really doesn't seem to apply anymore." Lois participates in a benediction or blessing in the chapel with her brother. She is overcome by the experience and collapses into his arms. She undergoes an emotional catharsis. Kieth bids her farewell and sees her off as she departs by bus. After her departure, he is seen in prayer before the

pietà The Pietà (; meaning "pity", "compassion") is a subject in Christian art depicting the Virgin Mary cradling the dead body of Jesus after his body was removed from the cross. It is most often found in sculpture. The Pietà is a specific form o ...

. When she arrives back at the station, she tears up a telegram she meant to send. The clerks read the discarded message: "This is in the way of a permanent goodbye. I should suggest Italy. Lois."

Publication history

The story first appeared in ''

'', edited by

H.L. Mencken Henry Louis Mencken (September 12, 1880 – January 29, 1956) was an American journalist, essayist, satirist, cultural critic, and scholar of American English. He commented widely on the social scene, literature, music, prominent politicians, ...

and

George Jean Nathan George Jean Nathan (February 14, 1882 – April 8, 1958) was an American drama critic and magazine editor. He worked closely with H. L. Mencken, bringing the literary magazine ''The Smart Set'' to prominence as an editor, and co-founding and ...

, in the February 1920 issue. When Mencken reviewed Fitzgerald's story collection ''

'', he regarded "Benediction" as the best story in the anthology and wrote that its publication "brought down the maledictions of the Jesuits and came near getting the magazine barred from the Knights of Columbus camp-libraries." The short story was included in his 1920 anthology ''Flappers and Philosophers'' later that year, consisting of eight stories, published by Scribner's.

References

Citations

Works cited

* * *

External links

*
''The Smart Set'' — Volume 61, No. 2 — "Benediction"
(

Library of America The Library of America (LOA) is a nonprofit publisher of classic American literature. Founded in 1979 with seed money from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Ford Foundation, the LOA has published over 300 volumes by authors rangi ...

)
''The Smart Set'' — Volume 61, No. 2 — "Benediction"
( Modernist Journals Project) {{Fitzgerald Short stories by F. Scott Fitzgerald 1920 short stories 1920s short stories American short stories Works originally published in The Smart Set