A Transposition by Ambrose Bierce
"A Transposition" is a short story by Ambrose Bierce, first published in 1893. The story follows a man named John Horton, who has been accused of murdering his business partner. Despite his protests of innocence, Horton is sentenced to death and is awaiting execution in his cell. As he waits, he begins to experience strange visions and hearings, which he believes are the result of a "transposition" of his consciousness with that of another person. The story explores themes of identity, guilt, and the nature of reality, as Horton struggles to make sense of his situation and prove his innocence.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1893 · Genre: Short Stories, Horror, Fantasy · 201 words
First lines
Travelling through the sage-brush country a Jackass met a rabbit, who exclaimed in great astonishment:
"Good heavens! how did you grow so big. You are doubtless the largest rabbit living."
"No," said the Jackass, "you are the smallest donkey."
After a good deal of fruitless argument the question was referred for decision to a passing Coyote, who was a bit of a demagogue and desirous to stand well with both.
What this Textopian page supports
A Transposition is listed on Textopian as a fable by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1893 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Fable
- Author: Ambrose Bierce
- Date: 1893 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Short Stories, Horror, Fantasy, Mystery, Supernatural
- Length: 201 words
- Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Transposition by Ambrose Bierce
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering A Transposition?
- How does this fable by Ambrose Bierce fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Short Stories first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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Genres
- Short Stories — The book is a collection of short stories, making it fall under this genre.
- Horror — The themes and plot in the book often revolve around macabre, supernatural elements, fitting the horror genre.
- Fantasy — Due to the supernatural elements present in the stories, it can be categorized under fantasy.
- Mystery — Many of the stories involve ambiguous, enigmatic elements, thus fitting the mystery genre.
Tags
gothic fiction · supernatural horror · mystery · thriller · psychological horror · literary fiction · short story collection · symbolism · allegory · fantasy · surrealism · magical realism