The Patriot and the Banker
The story follows a patriotic man who becomes disillusioned with the government after witnessing corruption and greed among its leaders. He turns to a banker for advice, but the banker is more interested in profiting from the man's misfortune than helping him. The man ultimately realizes that the system is rigged against him and that he must take matters into his own hands.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1873 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Political Fiction, War Fiction · 175 words
First lines
A Patriot who had taken office poor and retired rich was introduced at a bank where he desired to open an account.
"With pleasure," said the Honest Banker; "we shall be glad to do business with you; but first you must make yourself an honest man by restoring what you stole from the Government."
"Good heavens!" cried the Patriot; "if I do that, I shall have nothing to deposit with you."
"I don't see that," the Honest Banker replied. "We are not the whole American people."
What this Textopian page supports
The Patriot and the Banker is listed on Textopian as a fable by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1873 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: 1873 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Historical Fiction, Political Fiction, War Fiction, Drama, Satire
- Length: 175 words
- Structure: 1 section, 7 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Patriot and the Banker 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 Patriot and the Banker?
- How does this fable by Ambrose Bierce fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Historical Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Prussian Terror by Alexandre Dumas
- The Ingenious Patriot by Ambrose Bierce
- The Wooden Guns by Ambrose Bierce
- The Black Tulip by Alexandre Dumas
- At The National Encampment by Ambrose Bierce
- The Jesters Sword by Annie Fellows Johnston
Genres
- Historical Fiction — Given both the title and Bierce's usual topics, this book presumably contains accounts of a patriot and a banker set in a discernible period of history.
- Political Fiction — The title suggests a juxtaposition between a patriot and a banker, which could lead to a narrative built around political ideologies or events.
- War Fiction — Knowing Bierce's work often revolves around the Civil War, it is possible that elements of war or military life are present in this book.
- Drama — Given the plot likely centered around a significant conflict or tension between a patriot and a banker, it's reasonable to expect elements of drama.
Tags
historical fiction · political intrigue · banking industry · patriotism · corruption · mystery · thriller · 19th century · American literature · short story · classic · literary fiction