A Watcher by the Dead

Name: A Watcher by the Dead
Author: Ambrose Bierce

The story revolves around a narrator who recounts an experience from his past where he encounters a mysterious figure watching over the dead in a graveyard at night. The figure's presence seems to be a harbinger of death, and the narrator reflects on the inevitability of mortality and the transience of human life.

By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1861 · Genre: Gothic Fiction, Horror, Psychological Thriller · 4 chapters · 4,913 words

First lines

In an upper room of an unoccupied dwelling in the part of San Francisco known as North Beach lay the body of a man, under a sheet. The hour was near nine in the evening; the room was dimly lighted by a single candle. Although the weather was warm, the two windows, contrary to the custom which gives the dead plenty of air, were closed and the blinds drawn down. The furniture of the room consisted of but three pieces -- an armchair, a small reading-stand supporting the candle, and a long kitchen table, supporting the body of the man. All these, as also the corpse, seemed to have been recently brought in, for an observer, had there been one, would have seen that all were free from dust, whereas everything else in the room was pretty thickly coated with it, and there were cobwebs in the angles of the walls.

What this Textopian page supports

A Watcher by the Dead is listed on Textopian as a short story by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1861 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: 1861 CE
Language: English
Genres: Gothic Fiction, Horror, Psychological Thriller, Mystery, Literary Fiction
Length: 4,913 words
Structure: 4 chapters, 80 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

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Work identity for A Watcher by the Dead by Ambrose Bierce
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Discussion starters

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Similar titles

Genres

Gothic Fiction — The story features dark themes, a sense of dread, and a focus on death and the supernatural, characteristic of Gothic literature.
Horror — The narrative evokes fear and suspense, particularly through the protagonist's psychological struggle with the dead.
Psychological Thriller — The tension arises from the protagonist's mental state and the psychological games played around the fear of death.
Mystery — The plot involves a wager and the unknown outcome of a man's endurance in a terrifying situation.