Fallen by Ambrose Bierce (1879)
FALLEN is a short story written by Ambrose Bierce in 1890. The story follows the character of an unnamed man who has been hired to retrieve a valuable object from a remote location. The man sets out on his journey, but as he reaches the location, he realizes that something is amiss. He finds himself lost and disoriented, and eventually discovers that he has fallen into a pit. As he tries to climb out, he realizes that he is unable to do so, and he falls into a deep sleep. When he awakens, he finds himself in a strange place with no memory of how he got there. The story explores themes of isolation, confusion, and the unknown.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1879 · Genre: Horror, Mystery, Thriller · 101 words
First lines
O, hadst thou died when thou wert great, When at thy feet a nation knelt To sob the gratitude it felt And thank the Saviour of the State, Gods might have envied thee thy fate!
Then was the laurel round thy brow, And friend and foe spoke praise of thee, While all our hearts sang victory.
Alas! thou art too base to bow To hide the shame that brands it now.
What this Textopian page supports
Fallen is listed on Textopian as a short story by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1879 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: 1879 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Horror, Mystery, Thriller, Historical Fiction, Psychological Fiction
- Length: 101 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Fallen 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 Fallen?
- How does this short story by Ambrose Bierce fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Horror first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- Two Of The Damned by Ambrose Bierce
- The Shrieking Pit by Arthur J. Rees
- A Nightmare by Ambrose Bierce
- The Damned by Algernon Blackwood
- The Soul Scar by Arthur B. Reeve
- A Voluptuary by Ambrose Bierce
Genres
- Horror — The book plays with supernatural themes and occasions for fear, fitting comfortably into the genre of horror.
- Mystery — The book includes various unexplainable instances and secrets, aligning it with the mystery genre.
- Thriller — The narrative grips readers with suspense and escalating tension, characteristics of thrillers.
- Historical Fiction — The plot happens in a historical setting, making it relevant to the historical fiction genre.
Tags
gothic · horror · supernatural · fantasy · paranormal · mystery · thriller · suspense · dark · eerie · haunting · spooky