The Eligible Son-in-Law
The Eligible Son-in-Law by Ambrose Bierce is a short story that revolves around the themes of love, marriage, and social status. The story follows the character of John, who is eager to marry his beloved, but faces opposition from his mother-in-law due to his perceived lack of social standing. Despite these challenges, John remains determined to win his bride's hand in marriage. In this web tool, users can find and read books in the public domain, track their reading progress, leave comments and reactions, and share what they have read. The analytics generated by the tool will provide insights into users' reading habits, helping them discover new authors and genres that match their interests.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1897 · Genre: Short Story, Comedy, Satire · 177 words
First lines
A Truly Pious Person who conducted a savings bank and lent money to his sisters and his cousins and his aunts of both sexes, was approached by a
Tatterdemalion, who applied for a loan of one hundred thousand dollars.
"What security have you to offer?" asked the Truly Pious Person.
"The best in the world," the applicant replied, confidentially; "I am about to become your son-in-law."
What this Textopian page supports
The Eligible Son-in-Law is listed on Textopian as a fable by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1897 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: 1897 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Short Story, Comedy, Satire, Fiction, American Literature
- Length: 177 words
- Structure: 1 section, 7 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Eligible Son-in-Law 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 The Eligible Son-in-Law?
- How does this fable by Ambrose Bierce fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Short Story first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- A Retort by Ambrose Bierce
- The Discontented Malefactor by Ambrose Bierce
- Charity by Ambrose Bierce
- A Fool by Ambrose Bierce
- Haec Fabula Docet by Ambrose Bierce
- Subterranean Phantasies by Ambrose Bierce
Genres
- Short Story — Ambrose Bierce is known predominantly for his short stories and 'The Eligible Son-in-Law' is among them
- Comedy — The storyline has comedic elements to it, showcasing clashes of cultures and expectations in a familial setup
- Satire — Bierce's work often features satirical commentary on societal norms and behaviors
- Fiction — The story happens in a fictional scenario and thus comes under this genre
Tags
romance · family drama · social satire · gothic fiction · humor · irony · sarcasm · absurdity · parody · fantasy · supernatural · mystery