The Boarded Window by Ambrose Bierce

By King Meera -
This is an amazing essay on teaching The Boarded Window and how it is an example of a text that must be analyzed through close reading

  • blood from throat wound not coagulated, also wound itself lacerated - hence alive when attacked by the animal
  • supernatural or not - supposedly haunted but could also be ironic, hinting at stupidity of "well-informed boy"
  • wife's death and possible resurrection: 
“at the end of the third day she fell into unconsciousness and so passed away, apparently, with never a gleam of returning reason.”

  • apparently
  • but also incorrect preparations for the grave and some rites being done repeatedly - perhaps occult practices
  • "he should have her again as before" - trying to reanimate her body? - or necrophilia? o.O
  • hints at but does not involve the supernatural
  • narrator remarkably unreliable - apparently seventy, about fifty, i suppose it was agreed, so I should remember etc - not 3rd person but actually unnamed 1st person narrative
  • intentionally left open to interpretations - perhaps there was a beast or it could have been a dream - Murlock was acting out of fear, or maybe he was crazy
  • panthers are not there in USA maybe then it was just his imagination but how did his wife bite off its ear if it didn't exist


We can understand the text at least partially by looking into its author, Ambrose Bierce

  • look at the questions after the text
  • significance of title - window boarded either because of foreboding of danger and sinister events, or source of all unhappiness
  • magic realism: (if not a dream) woman was actually dead
  • setting - forest, wilderness, isolated, dangerous
  • writing style and how it affects the readers - metaphors: panther a metaphor for darkness within, deep sadness an artist of powers that affect people in different ways; uncertainty and vagueness makes us think he's bluffing; ending is very unnerving and makes us question the events that unfolded long after we've finished reading it

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