The Rifle

The Rifle

Author	Gary Paulsen
Cover artist	Jennifer Jackman (photograph © Stockbyte/Getty)
Country	United States
Language	English
Subject	U.S. history, rifles
Genre	historical fiction
Publisher	Bantam Doubleday
Publication date	1995
Pages	112
ISBN	0-440-21920-5

The Rifle is a 1995 novel by American writer Gary Paulsen.^[1] The novel is a work of historical fiction, written for a young adult audience. The story focuses on the history of a rifle crafted prior to the American Revolution, and on the lives of its various owners until the present day. Although Paulsen romanticizes the creation and the uniqueness of the rifle, the novel provides a sober reminder of the importance of handling guns responsibly.^[2]

Plot[]

The novel begins prior to the American Revolution. A gunsmith named Cornish McManus, inspired by a piece of maple stock, crafts a rifle which turns out to be exceedingly accurate. Later, McManus is forced to sell the rifle, which comes into the ownership of a soldier in the Revolution named John Byam. After Byam's death, the rifle passes to a woman named Sarah, who stores it in an attic, where it is forgotten. The rifle passes through several owners, being lost, rediscovered, and sold as an antique. It ultimately comes to rest on the mantle of a mechanic named Harv Kline.^[1]

Reception[]

Kirkus Reviews described the novel as being "as shattering as the awful events it depicts", while holding appeal for readers on both sides of the gun control debate.^[3]

References[]

External links[]

• Random House Teacher's Guide to The Rifle