The Lord's Prayer on a Coin
A thought-provoking tale of obsession and self-discovery, THE LORD'S PRAYER ON A COIN explores the human desire for meaning and purpose. Bierce's concise prose masterfully conveys the protagonist's inner turmoil as he grapples with his own beliefs and values.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1890 · Genre: Satire, Short Story, Historical · 118 words
First lines
Upon this quarter-eagle's leveled face, The Lord's Prayer, legibly inscribed, I trace. "Our Father which" -- the pronoun there is funny, And shows the scribe to have addressed the money -- "Which art in Heaven" -- an error this, no doubt: The preposition should be stricken out.
Needless to quote; I only have designed To praise the frankness of the pious mind Which thought it natural and right to join, With rare significancy, prayer and coin.
What this Textopian page supports
The Lord's Prayer on a Coin 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: Satire, Short Story, Historical, Fiction
- Length: 118 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Lord's Prayer on a Coin by Ambrose Bierce
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Lord's Prayer on a Coin?
- How does this short story 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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- Re Edified by Ambrose Bierce
- The Man And His Goose by Ambrose Bierce
- Arbor Day by Ambrose Bierce
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- The Lion The Bear And The Fox by Ambrose Bierce
Genres
- Satire — Ambrose Bierce is known for his satirical writing style.
- Short Story — Ambrose Bierce typically writes brief narrative pieces.
- Historical — Many of Bierce's works incorporate historical elements.
- Fiction — The subject matter presents a fantastical scenario.
Tags
religion · spirituality · prayer · faith · coin · money · materialism · values · ethics · morality · philosophy · literature