A Baby Tramp by Ambrose Bierce
A Baby Tramp is a short story about a man who becomes obsessed with a baby trampoline and the consequences that follow. The story explores themes of obsession, addiction, and the blurring of reality and fantasy.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1878 · Genre: Short Stories, Fiction, Drama · 1,996 words
First lines
IF you had seen little Jo standing at the street corner in the rain, you would hardly have admired him. It was apparently an ordinary autumn rainstorm, but the water which fell upon Jo (who was hardly old enough to be either just or unjust, and so perhaps did not come under the law of impartial distribution) appeared to have some property peculiar to itself: one would have said it was dark and adhesive-sticky. But that could hardly be so, even in Blackburg, where things certainly did occur that were a good deal out of the common.
What this Textopian page supports
A Baby Tramp is listed on Textopian as a short story by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1878 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Ambrose Bierce
- Date: 1878 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Drama, Psychological
- Length: 1,996 words
- Structure: 1 section, 19 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Baby Tramp by Ambrose Bierce
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
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Genres
- Short Stories — The book is a short story about the life of a baby tramp.
- Fiction — The book is a fictional narrative, driven by invented characters and scenarios.
- Drama — The book portrays conflicts and emotions, typically associated with drama.
- Psychological — The story delves into the psychology of the baby tramp, influencing its categorization as a psychological genre.
Tags
humor · satire · fiction · short story · children · family · parenting · babies · tramps · travel · adventure · romance