A "Mass" Meeting by Ambrose Bierce
"A 'MASS' MEETING" is a short story by Ambrose Bierce, first published in 1890. The story takes place during the American Civil War and follows a group of Union soldiers who are gathered for a meeting to discuss their next move in the war effort. However, the meeting quickly devolves into chaos as the soldiers become increasingly agitated and disillusioned with the war. The story is known for its dark humor and commentary on the futility of war.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1899 · Genre: Satire, Short Story, Humor · 230 words
First lines
It was a solemn rite as e'er Was seen by mortal man.
The celebrants, the people there, Were all Republican.
There Estee bent his grizzled head, And General Dimond, too, And one -- 'twas Reddick, some one said, Though no one clearly knew.
I saw the priest, white-robed and tall (Assistant, Father Stow) -- He was the pious man men call Dan Burns of Mexico.
What this Textopian page supports
A "Mass" Meeting 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: Satire, Short Story, Humor, Fiction
- Length: 230 words
- Structure: 1 section, 7 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A "Mass" Meeting 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
- What should a reader notice first when entering A "Mass" Meeting?
- How does this short story by Ambrose Bierce fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Satire first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Satire — The story is a biting critique of political and societal norms of its time, a characteristic feature of satire.
- Short Story — The story is succinct, focusing on a single event or characters, aligning it with the definition of a 'short story'.
- Humor — Bierce uses a humorous tone to highlight the absurdity of the societal norms he is criticizing, making this a work of humor as well.
- Fiction — As the narrative and characters are fabricated, this story is fictional.
Tags
horror · thriller · gothic · supernatural · mystery · suspense · fiction · literary · classic · american · 19th century · short story