A Fruitless Assignment by Ambrose Bierce
"A Fruitless Assignment" is a short story by Ambrose Bierce, first published in 1899. The story follows an unnamed narrator who is tasked with investigating a mysterious occurrence in a small town. Despite his best efforts, the narrator is unable to find any evidence to explain the strange event, leading him to conclude that it was simply a "fruitless assignment." Throughout the story, Bierce employs his signature wit and dark humor to explore themes of frustration, futility, and the limitations of human understanding.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1899 · Genre: Horror, Gothic Fiction, Mystery · 1,224 words
First lines
HENRY SAYLOR, who was killed in Covington, in a quarrel with Antonio Finch, was a reporter on the Cincinnati "Commercial". In the year 1859 a vacant dwelling in Vine street, in Cincinnati, became the center of a local excitement because of the strange sights and sounds said to be observed in it nightly. According to the testimony of many reputable residents of the vicinity these were inconsistent with any other hypothesis than that the house was haunted. Figures with something singularly unfamiliar about them were seen by crowds on the sidewalk to pass in and out. No one could say just where they appeared upon the open lawn on their way to the front door by which they entered, nor at exactly what point they vanished as they came out; or, rather, while each spectator was positive enough about these matters, no two agreed. They were all similarly at variance in their descriptions of the figures themselves.
Similar titles
- The Cynics Bequest by Ambrose Bierce
- Haec Fabula Docet by Ambrose Bierce
- Nanine by Ambrose Bierce
- The Dog And The Reflection by Ambrose Bierce
- The Citizen And The Snakes by Ambrose Bierce
- A Jug Of Syrup by Ambrose Bierce
Genres
- Horror — The story revolves around a haunted house and supernatural occurrences, central to the horror genre.
- Gothic Fiction — The setting and themes reflect elements typical of Gothic literature, including isolation, the supernatural, and psychological tension.
- Mystery — The narrative involves an investigation into strange occurrences and a mysterious death, characteristic of mystery fiction.
- Dark Comedy — The absurdity of the crowd's reaction to the gruesome discovery adds a layer of dark humor to the narrative.
Tags
gothic · horror · mystery · thriller · supernatural · fantasy · magical realism · surreal · symbolism · psychological · literary fiction · classic
What this Textopian page supports
A Fruitless Assignment is listed on Textopian as a short story by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1899 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: 1899 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Horror, Gothic Fiction, Mystery, Dark Comedy, Literary Fiction
- Length: 1,224 words
- Structure: 1 section, 13 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Fruitless Assignment by Ambrose Bierce
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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