The Altar Fire

"The Altar Fire" by Arthur Christopher Benson is a story that looks closely at what it means to be human, especially the hard parts like pain and doing what's right. It starts with a character thinking deeply about his own life, the good and the bad. He's trying to figure out how to be happy and make something of himself as an artist, all while dealing with family and what people expect of him. The book suggests it's important to face suffering head-on, and that the main character's journey will teach us about love, loss, and finding our purpose in the middle of life's challenges.