The Haunted Valley by Ambrose Bierce
The Haunted Valley by Ambrose Bierce is a short story that follows the journey of a man named John as he travels through a remote and mysterious valley. The valley is said to be haunted by the ghosts of those who have died there, and John soon discovers that the rumors are true when he encounters several apparitions during his journey. Despite the eerie atmosphere, John presses on, driven by curiosity and a desire to uncover the secrets of the valley. As he delves deeper into the valley, he begins to question his own sanity and the true nature of the haunting. Ultimately, John's encounter with the ghosts leaves him shaken and changed forever.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1890 · Genre: Horror, Short Story, Supernatural · 2 chapters · 4,894 words
First lines
A HALF-MILE north from Jo. Dunfer's, on the road from Hutton's to Mexican
Hill, the highway dips into a sunless ravine which opens out on either hand in a half-confidential manner, as if it had a secret to impart at some more convenient season. I never used to ride through it without looking first to the one side and then to the other, to see if the time had arrived for the revelation. If I saw nothing-and I never did see anything-there was no feeling of disappointment, for I knew the disclosure was merely withheld temporarily for some good reason which I
What this Textopian page supports
The Haunted Valley is listed on Textopian as a short story by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1890 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: 1890 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Horror, Short Story, Supernatural, Mystery
- Length: 4,894 words
- Structure: 2 chapters, 65 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Haunted Valley 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 Haunted Valley?
- 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
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Genres
- Horror — The title itself implies a haunted or paranormal element, common in horror genre. The author, Ambrose Bierce, is also known for his horror stories.
- Short Story — The nature of the work is a brief fictional work, thus classifying it as a short story.
- Supernatural — The plot features ghostly apparitions and explorations of the disturbances of the natural world, contributing to the supernatural genre.
- Mystery — The narrative builds tension and suspense over inexplicable occurrences, aligning it with the genre of mystery.
Tags
ghost story · supernatural · horror · thriller · mystery · fiction · short story · classic literature · american literature · 19th century literature · spooky · haunting
Contents
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- WHO DRIVES SANE OXEN SHOULD HIMSELF BE SANE