Charles and Peter by Ambrose Bierce
"CHARLES AND PETER" is a short story written by Ambrose Bierce, first published in 1891. The story follows the lives of two men, Charles and Peter, who are identical twins born to a poor farmer. Despite their similar appearance, they lead vastly different lives, with Charles becoming a successful businessman while Peter becomes a drunkard. The story explores themes of identity, class, and the consequences of one's choices.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1873 · Genre: Satire, Short Stories, Fiction · 430 words
First lines
Ere Gabriel's note to silence died / All graves of men were gaping wide.
Then Charles A. Dana, of "The Sun," / Rose slowly from the deepest one.
What this Textopian page supports
Charles and Peter 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: Satire, Short Stories, Fiction, Historical
- Length: 430 words
- Structure: 1 section, 20 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Charles and Peter 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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Similar titles
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- Alarm And Pride by Ambrose Bierce
- Francine by Ambrose Bierce
- To My Laundress by Ambrose Bierce
- An Invocation by Ambrose Bierce
- The Party Over There by Ambrose Bierce
Genres
- Satire — Ambrose Bierce is known for his biting wit and critical outlook, often employing satire in his works.
- Short Stories — Bierce's work typically involve concise and insightful short stories.
- Fiction — The book 'Charles and Peter' is a work of fictional narrative, albeit with possible references to real events or people in Bierce’s time.
- Historical — Certain elements of Bierce's work hint towards the historical settings which might be representative of the time period he lived in and wrote about.
Tags
gothic fiction · horror · supernatural · mystery · thriller · psychological · suspense · literary fiction · american literature · short stories · classic · victorian era