The Realm of the Unreal
The Realm of the Unreal is a collection of short stories by Ambrose Bierce, first published in 1909. The book explores themes of reality, fantasy, and the supernatural, with each story delving into a different realm of the unreal. Some of the most notable stories include "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge," which follows a Confederate soldier during the American Civil War; "The Devil's Dictionary," a collection of definitions for words that are often used incorrectly; and "The Boarded Window," a tale of a man who discovers that his neighbor has been murdered. Throughout the book, Bierce employs his signature wit and satire to explore the human condition and challenge societal norms. His writing is both accessible and thought-provoking, making The Realm of the Unreal a must-read for fans of short fiction.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1872 · Genre: Horror, Short Story, Supernatural · 5 chapters · 2,849 words
First lines
FOR a part of the distance between Auburn and Newcastle the road-first on one side of a creek and then on the other-occupies the whole bottom of the ravine, being partly cut out of the steep hillside, and partly built up with bowlders removed from the creek-bed by the miners. The hills are wooded, the course of the ravine is sinuous. In a dark night careful driving is required in order not to go off into the water. The night that I have in memory was dark, the creek a torrent, swollen by a recent storm. I had driven up from Newcastle and was within about a mile of
What this Textopian page supports
The Realm of the Unreal is listed on Textopian as a short story by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1872 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: 1872 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Horror, Short Story, Supernatural, Fiction, Mystery
- Length: 2,849 words
- Structure: 5 chapters, 51 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Realm of the Unreal 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 Realm of the Unreal?
- How does this short story by Ambrose Bierce fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Horror first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Three Impostors by Arthur Machen
- The Divided Delegation by Ambrose Bierce
- The Moon Stricken by Bernard Capes
- Portents by Egerton Castle
- In The Court Of The Dragon by Robert W. Chambers
- The Great Return by Arthur Machen
Genres
- Horror — The stories in the collection revolve around eerie, creepy and supernatural elements, typical of the horror genre.
- Short Story — The book is composed of several succinct narratives, classifying it within the short story genre.
- Supernatural — The various narratives involve ghostly or paranormal happenings which fall under the supernatural genre.
- Fiction — The stories in the book are figments of imagination and do not have a direct historical or factual basis, thus it is classified as fiction.
Tags
Fantasy · Horror · Gothic · Supernatural · Mystery · Thriller · Suspense · Paranormal · Speculative Fiction · Literary Fiction · Classic Literature · Victorian Era