Tea Tray in the Sky by Evelyn E. Smith
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"Tea Tray in the Sky" by Evelyn E. Smith is a science fiction novella written during the early 1950s. The story explores themes of societal norms and cultural taboos through the experiences of a young man named Michael Frey, who embarks on a journey from the secluded life of a Brotherhood to the bustling and diverse society of Portyork, Earth, within a cosmopolitan United Universe. It critiques the rigid conventions governing interaction
and relationships among various alien races and humans. Michael Frey, having grown up in a Brotherhood away from society, is eager to explore the outer world after years of isolation. As he arrives in Portyork, he is quickly encumbered by the myriad taboos and expectations of the diverse population he encounters. With the help of a salesman named Pierce B. Carpenter, Michael navigates the complexities of social customs—from the absurdities of etiquette to the restrictions on personal relationships. Despite the initial thrill of freedom, he finds himself increasingly uncomfortable with the idea of mandatory sharing of relationships and the superficial nature of societal interactions. Ultimately, Michael concludes that the structured yet simple life of the Brotherhood is preferable to the chaotic and impersonal world outside, leading him to return home, embracing his origins over the confusing complexities of civilization. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Smith, Evelyn E., 1922-2000 |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Ashman, William |
| Title | Tea Tray in the Sky |
| Series Title | Produced from Galaxy Science Fiction September 1952 |
| Credits |
Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 75.9 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature |
| Subject | Science fiction |
| Subject | Short stories |
| Subject | Manners and customs -- Fiction |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 50847 |
| ISBN (HTML) | 979-8-238-50847-4 |
| Release Date | Jan 5, 2016 |
| Last Update | Oct 22, 2024 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 458 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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