The Naval Constructor
The Naval Constructor is a short story written by Ambrose Bierce, first published in 1896. The story follows the journey of a man named Captain Hull, who is tasked with constructing a new naval vessel for the United States Navy. However, as he works on the ship, he becomes increasingly obsessed with the project and neglects his personal life, leading to tragic consequences.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1897 · Genre: Military History, Non-fiction, Reference · 233 words
First lines
He looked upon the ships as they All idly lay at anchor, Their sides with gorgeous workmen gay -- The riveter and planker --
Republicans and Democrats, Statesmen and politicians.
He saw the swarm of prudent rats Swimming for land positions.
He marked each "belted cruiser" fine, Her poddy life-belts floating In tether where the hungry brine Impinged upon her coating.
What this Textopian page supports
The Naval Constructor is listed on Textopian as a short story 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: Short story
- Author: Ambrose Bierce
- Date: 1897 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Military History, Non-fiction, Reference, Historical, Biography
- Length: 233 words
- Structure: 1 section, 10 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Naval Constructor 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 Naval Constructor?
- How does this short story by Ambrose Bierce fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Military History first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- A Ship And A Man by Ambrose Bierce
- The Wooden Guns by Ambrose Bierce
- The National Guardsman by Ambrose Bierce
- A Welcome by Ambrose Bierce
- Equipped For Service by Ambrose Bierce
- Reconciliation by Ambrose Bierce
Genres
- Military History — The title indicates a focus on naval construction, suggesting the book deals with themes related to naval history and military.
- Non-fiction — The subject matter appears to focus on factual information about naval construction, making it non-fiction.
- Reference — If the content of 'The Naval Constructor' is instructive in nature, it could be considered a reference text.
- Historical — If 'The Naval Constructor' explores the history of naval construction, it could fall under the genre of historical literature.
Tags
war · naval · technology · innovation · engineering · ships · maritime · history · fiction · short story · gothic · horror