A Man with Two Lives
"A Man with Two Lives" is a psychological thriller written by Ambrose Bierce, first published in 1873. The story follows the life of a man named Marcus Wendell, who leads two separate lives - one as a successful businessman and family man, and the other as a mysterious and dangerous criminal. As the two lives intersect and collide, Wendell finds himself caught in a web of his own making, struggling to maintain his dual identities and avoid detection by those around him. The novel explores themes of identity, morality, and the consequences of one's actions, as well as the blurred lines between good and evil.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1873 · Genre: Short Story, Mystery, Horror · 1,101 words
First lines
HERE is the queer story of David William Duck, related by himself. Duck is an old man living in Aurora, Illinois, where he is universally respected. He is commonly known, however, as "Dead Duck."
What this Textopian page supports
A Man with Two Lives is listed on Textopian as a short story by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1873 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: 1873 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Short Story, Mystery, Horror, Psychological Fiction, Gothic Fiction
- Length: 1,101 words
- Structure: 1 section, 17 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Man with Two Lives by Ambrose Bierce
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering A Man with Two Lives?
- How does this short story by Ambrose Bierce fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Short Story first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- An Arrest by Ambrose Bierce
- Something In The Papers by Ambrose Bierce
- One Morning by Ambrose Bierce
- Detected by Ambrose Bierce
- Discretion by Ambrose Bierce
- The Bosss Choice by Ambrose Bierce
Genres
- Short Story — Ambrose Bierce wrote this work as a short story, which is based on the length and scope of the work itself.
- Mystery — The book centralizes around an enigmatic situation in which the protagonist purportedly lives two lives.
- Horror — Elements of the supernatural and the macabre, including a man's apparent resurrection from the dead, make this work part of the horror genre.
- Psychological Fiction — The exploration of a man's identity, memory, and perception adds a psychological element to the narrative.
Tags
mystery · thriller · suspense · detective · crime · fiction · literature · american · classic · gothic · horror · supernatural