The Remarkable Rocket

The Remarkable Rocket is a short story by Oscar Wilde. This story concerns a firework, who is one of many to be let off at the wedding of a prince and princess. The rocket is extremely pompous and self-important, and denigrates all the other fireworks, eventually bursting into tears to demonstrate his "sensitivity". As this makes him wet, he fails to ignite, and, the next day, is thrown away into a ditch. He still believes that he is destined for great public importance, and treats a frog, dragonfly, and duck that meet him with appropriate disdain. Two boys find him, and use him for fuel on their camp-fire. The rocket is finally lit and explodes, but nobody observes him - the only effect he has is to frighten a goose with his falling stick. The Remarkable Rocket, unlike the other stories in the collection, contains a large number of Wildean epigrams: "Conversation, indeed!" said the Rocket. "You have talked the whole time yourself. That is not conversation." "Somebody must listen," answered the Frog, "and I like to do all the talking myself. It saves time, and prevents arguments." "But I like arguments," said the Rocket. "I hope not," said the Frog complacently. "Arguments are extremely vulgar, for everybody in good society holds exactly the same opinions."