The Man with No Enemies
The Man with No Enemies is a short story by Ambrose Bierce, first published in 1899. The story follows the life of a man named William Adams, who has no enemies and is loved by everyone he meets. However, as time passes, Adams begins to realize that his lack of enemies may be a curse rather than a blessing. Can I help you with something else?
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1909 · Genre: Mystery, Drama, Psychological Fiction · 106 words
First lines
An Inoffensive Person walking in a public place was assaulted by a
Stranger with a Club, and severely beaten.
When the Stranger with a Club was brought to trial, the complainant said to the Judge:
"I do not know why I was assaulted; I have not an enemy in the world."
What this Textopian page supports
The Man with No Enemies is listed on Textopian as a fable by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1909 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: 1909 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Mystery, Drama, Psychological Fiction, Thriller
- Length: 106 words
- Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Man with No Enemies 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 Man with No Enemies?
- How does this fable by Ambrose Bierce fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Mystery first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- A Resumed Identity by Ambrose Bierce
- The Circular Clew by Ambrose Bierce
- Slickens by Ambrose Bierce
- Odds And Ends by B. M. Croker
- A Spade by Ambrose Bierce
- To My Liars by Ambrose Bierce
Genres
- Mystery — The protagonist is a character of mystery who presumably has no enemies, which can imply a storyline filled with enigmatic and secretive actions
- Drama — The book presents a man with no enemies which could lead to emotive and tumultuous interactions with other characters
- Psychological Fiction — The process of a man making no enemies can be linked with profound, psychological insights and detailed exploration of characters’ thoughts and motivations
- Thriller — A man with no enemies can lead to suspenseful situations and high-staked scenarios that are characteristic of thrillers
Tags
mystery · thriller · detective · crime · fiction · literature · classic · american · gothic · supernatural · psychological · suspense