Toby Tyler; or, Ten Weeks with a Circus
by James Otis Kalerliterary work
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Toby Tyler; or, Ten Weeks with a Circus is a children's novel by "James Otis", the pen name of James Otis Kaler. Toby Tyler tells the story of a ten-year-old orphan who runs away from his uncle's home to join the traveling circus, only to discover his new employer is a cruel taskmaster. The book depicts the difference between the romance of the circus from the outside and the reality as seen from the inside. Toby's friend, Mr. Stubbs the chimpanzee, reinforces the consequences of what happens when one follows one's natural instincts rather than one's intellect and conscience, a central theme of the novel. Toby Tyler was initially serialized in Harper's Young People in 1877, then published as a book in 1881.
Adaptations (1)
Toby Tyler; or, Ten Weeks with a Circus was adapted into a 1960 film.
Toby Tyler1960 · film · 96 min · dir. Charles Barton · IMDb ↗IMDb6.9Angered at stern Uncle Daniel, Toby Tyler runs away from his foster home to join the circus, where he soon befriends Mr. Stubbs, the frisky chimpanzee. However, the circus isn't all fun and games when the evil candy vendor, Harry Tupper, convinces Toby that his Aunt Olive and Uncle Daniel don't love him or want him back. Toby resigns himself to circus life, but when he finally realizes that Tupper lied to him, and that his aunt and uncle truly love him, Toby happily returns home once again.
