The Story of a Recluse
Encyclopedia
The Story of a Recluse has been the title of at least three works of fiction.
The first, an unfinished tale
by Robert Louis Stevenson
, tells the story of Jamie Kirkwood, an Edinburgh
minister's son who finds himself waking up in a room identical to his own in the house of a mysterious man called Manton Jamieson.
This formed the basis of a second work, a television
play by Alasdair Gray
. Written in 1985, the TV screenplay
completes the original story by means of flashbacks from the 1930s. Gray then adapted this into yet another form, a short story in Lean Tales
—the third incarnation of the title. It involved some alterations to the television play's plot, concentrating for the most part on a metafictional discussion of the reasoning by which Gray deduces how Stevenson's story should end.
The first, an unfinished tale
Unfinished work
An unfinished work is creative work that has not been finished. Its creator may have chosen never to finish it or may have been prevented from doing so by circumstances outside of their control such as death. Such pieces are often the subject of speculation as to what the finished piece would have...
by Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Stevenson
Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. His best-known books include Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde....
, tells the story of Jamie Kirkwood, an Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
minister's son who finds himself waking up in a room identical to his own in the house of a mysterious man called Manton Jamieson.
This formed the basis of a second work, a television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
play by Alasdair Gray
Alasdair Gray
Alasdair Gray is a Scottish writer and artist. His most acclaimed work is his first novel Lanark, published in 1981 and written over a period of almost 30 years...
. Written in 1985, the TV screenplay
Screenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
completes the original story by means of flashbacks from the 1930s. Gray then adapted this into yet another form, a short story in Lean Tales
Lean Tales
Lean Tales is an anthology of short stories written by Scottish authors Alasdair Gray, Agnes Owens and James Kelman, with author illustrations by Alasdair Gray. Contractually obligated to Jonathan Cape to provide a new book, Gray claimed to find himself without new material or ideas, and so...
—the third incarnation of the title. It involved some alterations to the television play's plot, concentrating for the most part on a metafictional discussion of the reasoning by which Gray deduces how Stevenson's story should end.