The Rainmaker by Ambrose Bierce
The Rainmaker, written by Ambrose Bierce, is a novella that tells the story of a mysterious man named Horace Graves who arrives in a small town during a drought and promises to bring rain. The story follows the interactions between Graves and the townspeople, as well as the conflicts that arise due to his arrival. Throughout the novella, Bierce explores themes of hope, despair, and the power of human connection in the face of adversity.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1905 · Genre: Satire, Short Story, Literary Fiction · 321 words
First lines
An Officer of the Government, with a great outfit of mule-waggons loaded with balloons, kites, dynamite bombs, and electrical apparatus, halted in the midst of a desert, where there had been no rain for ten years, and set up a camp. After several months of preparation and an expenditure of a million dollars all was in readiness, and a series of tremendous explosions occurred on the earth and in the sky. This was followed by a great down-pour of rain, which washed the unfortunate Officer of the
What this Textopian page supports
The Rainmaker is listed on Textopian as a fable by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1905 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: 1905 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Satire, Short Story, Literary Fiction, Fiction
- Length: 321 words
- Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Rainmaker by Ambrose Bierce
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Rainmaker?
- How does this fable 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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Genres
- Satire — Bierce is known for his biting wit, dark humor and satirical view of human nature
- Short Story — The format of the text is a short story, a brief work of fiction
- Literary Fiction — The Rainmaker delves into deeper, more symbolic themes, signaling a work of literary fiction
- Fiction — The story is a work of imagination rather than fact
Tags
drama · fiction · literary fiction · western · gothic · mystery · thriller · magical realism · american literature · classic · novel · short stories