Ambrose Bierce’s Can Such Things Be?: A Collection

Quick Answer

• Can Such Things Be? by Ambrose Bierce is a collection of short stories that dissect the uncanny and supernatural through a lens of skepticism and irony.
• The collection focuses on the unreliability of human perception and the tendency to create meaning where none exists, often with a darkly humorous subversion of expectations.
• This work is best suited for readers who appreciate literary explorations of doubt and the psychological underpinnings of belief, rather than straightforward ghost stories.

Who This Is For

• Readers interested in American literature that challenges supernatural tropes with a rational and critical perspective.
• Individuals who enjoy stories that employ irony and satire to examine human credulity and the nature of perceived reality.

What to Check First

• Author’s Skepticism: Ambrose Bierce was notoriously cynical. Understand his worldview as a foundation for interpreting his narratives.
• Thematic Focus: Identify recurring themes of delusion, misinterpretation, and the human need for explanation, even in the absence of evidence.
• Narrative Structure: Observe how Bierce often manipulates time, perspective, and unreliable narrators to create ambiguity and surprise.
• Literary Context: Recognize that the collection emerged during an era of spiritualism, which Bierce frequently satirized.

Step-by-Step Plan: Engaging with Can Such Things Be? by Ambrose Bierce

1. Initiate with “The Damned Thing”:

• Action: Read this seminal story first.
• What to Look For: Observe the construction of fear around an unseen antagonist and the narrator’s descent into irrationality as they try to comprehend it.
• Mistake to Avoid: Assuming the threat is a literal monster; the horror is primarily psychological and existential.

2. Analyze “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”:

• Action: Study this frequently anthologized piece.
• What to Look For: Deconstruct the manipulation of temporal flow and narrative perspective that culminates in the story’s famous ironic twist.
• Mistake to Avoid: Accepting the protagonist’s perceived escape as factual; the narrative is designed to reflect internal delusion.

3. Examine Skepticism in “The Monk and the Hangman’s Daughter”:

• Action: Engage with this narrative that blends folklore with Bierce’s characteristic doubt.
• What to Look For: Note how Bierce introduces seemingly supernatural events only to undermine them with mundane or grimly rational explanations.
• Mistake to Avoid: Overlooking Bierce’s subtle critique of blind faith and superstition inherent in the story’s design.

4. Identify Irony in “A Diagnosis of Death”:

• Action: Read this story, focusing on its concluding revelation.
• What to Look For: The unexpected and darkly humorous outcome that subverts assumptions about medical certainty and human judgment.
• Mistake to Avoid: Missing Bierce’s commentary on the fallibility of human understanding and the limitations of empirical knowledge.

For those intrigued by the uncanny and supernatural viewed through a lens of skepticism and irony, Ambrose Bierce’s Can Such Things Be? is a collection that dissects these themes masterfully. It’s a perfect read for those who appreciate literary explorations of doubt and the psychological underpinnings of belief.

Can Such Things Be?

• Audible Audiobook
• Ambrose Bierce (Author) - Anthony Heald (Narrator)
• English (Publication Language)
• 08/02/2011 (Publication Date) - Blackstone Audio, Inc. (Publisher)

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5. Evaluate Bierce’s Treatment of the Supernatural:

• Action: Consider the collection as a whole, noting patterns in how purported supernatural occurrences are presented.
• What to Look For: The prevalence of psychological distress, unreliable narrators, and a consistent distrust of overt supernatural claims.
• Mistake to Avoid: Categorizing Bierce solely as a horror writer; his work is deeply embedded in satire and philosophical inquiry.

6. Reflect on the Title’s Question:

• Action: Ponder the implications of the title, “Can Such Things Be?”
• What to Look For: Assess whether Bierce ultimately affirms or denies the possibility of the supernatural, and the methods he employs to achieve his effect.
• Mistake to Avoid: Concluding that Bierce definitively believes in the supernatural; his narratives are designed to provoke questioning rather than provide definitive answers.

Can Such Things Be? by Ambrose Bierce: A Contrarian Perspective

Ambrose Bierce’s Can Such Things Be? is frequently categorized as a collection of ghost stories. However, a more precise analysis reveals a deliberate contrarian project: Bierce employs the concept of the supernatural not to explore the otherworldly, but to dissect human fallibility, credulity, and the inherent unreliability of perception. His tales are not endorsements of the uncanny, but rather skeptical investigations into why humans are predisposed to believe in it. The collection functions as a literary laboratory where Bierce systematically dismantles supernatural claims, frequently exposing mundane, psychological, or darkly ironic explanations that lie beneath. This is not a book designed to validate fears of the spectral, but to challenge the very foundations of belief and evidence.

The enduring impact of Can Such Things Be? by Ambrose Bierce stems from its refusal to offer facile resolutions. Bierce masterfully constructs narratives that initially appear to embrace the supernatural, only to pivot towards a rational or psychological explanation that is, in its own right, more disquieting. He compels the reader to confront their own biases and the ease with which they accept extraordinary claims. Unlike authors who luxuriate in the mystery of the unknown, Bierce seems more invested in the mystery of the known—how we perceive it, interpret it, and ultimately, how we are deceived by it. This approach positions the collection as a precursor to modern psychological thrillers, prioritizing internal states and subjective realities over external specters.

Strengths

• Psychological Acuity: Bierce demonstrates a profound understanding of internal character states, particularly fear, delusion, and obsession. In “The Damned Thing,” the terror is amplified by the protagonist’s inability to articulate the threat, underscoring the psychological impact of the unknown.
• Subversive Irony: A defining characteristic of Bierce’s writing is the unexpected, often grimly humorous, conclusion. “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” serves as a prime illustration, where the reader’s investment in the protagonist’s escape is shattered by a stark, ironic revelation.
• Intellectual Rigor: The collection consistently interrogates supernatural phenomena, offering rational or psychological interpretations that are often more unsettling than explicit spectral encounters. Bierce utilizes these narratives to probe the very basis of human belief systems.

Limitations

• Archaic Prose: The language and sentence structures can appear dated to contemporary readers, potentially slowing the reading pace and requiring greater interpretative effort.
• Varied Pacing: While many stories maintain a taut narrative, some may exhibit a slower progression, particularly those that lean heavily on descriptive passages or philosophical contemplation.
• Uniform Tone: Bierce’s consistent cynicism and detached, analytical voice, while a strength, can lead to a predictable emotional arc for some readers across the entirety of the collection.

Common Myths About Can Such Things Be? by Ambrose Bierce

• Myth: Bierce’s stories are direct accounts of ghosts and supernatural occurrences.
• Correction: Bierce utilizes the pretense of supernatural events to explore psychological states, human fallibility, and the unreliability of perception. His resolutions are often rational, ironic, or rooted in delusion, rather than affirming spectral reality. For example, in “The Moonlit Road,” the seemingly supernatural apparition is later revealed as a psychological manifestation tied to guilt.

• Myth: The collection aims to frighten readers with traditional horror elements.
• Correction: Bierce’s objective aligns more closely with unsettling the reader through intellectual doubt and the subversion of expectations. The horror is psychological and existential, derived from questioning reality and human judgment, as demonstrated by the ambiguity in “The Thing in the Wood.”

• Myth: Bierce held a belief in the supernatural phenomena he described.
• Correction: Bierce was famously skeptical. His stories frequently satirize belief in the supernatural, employing it as a vehicle to critique superstition and highlight human irrationality. The title itself, Can Such Things Be?, poses a question that is consistently answered with a sardonic, “No, not in the manner you assume.”

Expert Tips for Reading Can Such Things Be?

• Tip: Approach each story with a critical perspective, questioning the narrator’s viewpoint.
• Actionable Step: While reading, actively identify inconsistencies, emotional biases, or sensory limitations present in the narrator’s account.
• Mistake to Avoid: Accepting the narrator’s version of events as objective truth without critical examination.

• Tip: Pay close attention to the resolution of each narrative.
• Actionable Step: Analyze whether the ending offers a supernatural explanation or a rational, psychological, or ironic one.
• Mistake to Avoid: Terminating your analysis once the apparent supernatural element is introduced, thereby missing Bierce’s deconstructive approach.

• Tip: Consider Bierce’s broader philosophical stance on belief and reality.
• Actionable Step: Research Bierce’s life and his known cynical worldview to better contextualize his literary methods.
• Mistake to Avoid: Reading the stories in isolation without understanding the author’s consistent skeptical outlook.

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Decision Rules

• If your primary objective is to understand literary skepticism concerning the supernatural, prioritize Can Such Things Be? by Ambrose Bierce.
• If you seek narratives that challenge your perception of reality through ironic twists and subverted expectations, this collection is a strong candidate.
• If you prefer straightforward supernatural tales without authorial commentary or deconstruction, alternative authors may be more suitable.

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