The Faithful Cashier
In this short story, a cashier at a department store becomes obsessed with his job and the routine of ringing up purchases. He takes pride in his work and is meticulous in his attention to detail, but his dedication becomes unhealthy as he neglects his personal life and relationships. The story explores themes of obsession, routine, and the consequences of prioritizing work over personal well-being.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1899 · Genre: Satire, Short Story, Comedy · 180 words
First lines
The Cashier of a bank having defaulted was asked by the Directors what he had done with the money taken.
"I am greatly surprised by such a question," said the Cashier; "it sounds as if you suspected me of selfishness. Gentlemen, I applied that money to the purpose for which I took it; I paid it as an initiation fee and one year's dues in advance to the Treasurer of the Cashiers' Mutual
Defence Association."
"What is the object of that organisation?" the Directors inquired.
What this Textopian page supports
The Faithful Cashier is listed on Textopian as a fable by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1899 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: 1899 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Satire, Short Story, Comedy, Realistic Fiction
- Length: 180 words
- Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Difficult (College Level)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Faithful Cashier 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 Faithful Cashier?
- How does this fable by Ambrose Bierce fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Satire first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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- Magnanimity by Ambrose Bierce
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- A Jug Of Syrup by Ambrose Bierce
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- Johndonkey by Ambrose Bierce
Genres
- Satire — As is characteristic of Bierce's works, 'The Faithful Cashier' employs satirical elements to critique society and human nature.
- Short Story — Bierce's 'The Faithful Cashier' is a brief narrative, categorizing it within the short story genre.
- Comedy — This story contains elements of humor derived from its satirical commentary, qualifying it as a comedy.
- Realistic Fiction — The story portrays feasibly real-life situations in a serious yet humorous way, aligning with the realistic fiction genre.
Tags
dark humor · satire · irony · short story · fiction · literature · classic · american literature · gothic · supernatural · mystery · thriller