The Boarded Window, Ambrose Bierce: Summary & Analysis
‘The Boarded Window’: Plot Summary
Set in the early 19th century in the Ohio woods near Cincinnati, 'The Boarded Window' tells the story of Murlock, a man who lives alone in a remote cabin. Murlock, who appears much older than his actual age, is discovered dead in his cabin and buried beside his wife. The area surrounding the cabin is rumored to be haunted.
The narrator recounts a story passed down by their grandfather, revealing the events leading to Murlock's tragic end. Years earlier, Murlock's wife fell ill and passed away. In his grief, Murlock prepares her body for burial in their small cabin. Overwhelmed by exhaustion, he dozes off, only to be abruptly awakened by a mournful sound akin to a lost child's cry. Uncertain if the noise is real or a figment of his dreams, Murlock remains disoriented.
Upon regaining consciousness, Murlock finds himself face-to-face with a sinister presence—a dark, formless entity that permeates the room. The table trembles, and the echoing sound of bare feet reverberates throughout the cabin. To his horror, Murlock discovers that his wife's body has vanished from the table where he had laid her for burial. Through the window, he witnesses a panther dragging her lifeless form into the night.
Driven by instinctive fear, Murlock grabs his rifle and manages to frighten the panther away. As he examines his wife's body, he notices bite marks on her neck, suggesting that she might have been alive during the attack. Gripped by a haunting ambiguity, Murlock contemplates the blurred boundary between life and death.
The story ends with Murlock's somber reflection on the events that transpired. Although the tale focuses on the intrusion of the terrifying unknown, Murlock dismisses the significance of the incident, implying that his perception of the world has been irreversibly altered. The boarded window, an ever-present symbol throughout the narrative, stands as a haunting reminder of the enigmatic forces that encroach upon human existence.
In 'The Boarded Window,' Ambrose Bierce effectively constructs an atmosphere of dread and suspense, weaving a tale that explores themes of grief, the fragility of life, and the intrusion of the uncanny. The story's haunting conclusion leaves readers pondering the boundaries of reality and the eternal struggle between the seen and the unseen.
‘The Boarded Window’: Analysis
‘The Boarded Window’ by Ambrose Bierce demonstrates several literary influences and explores themes of isolation, premature burial, and the boundaries between reality and speculation. While Edgar Allan Poe's stories, particularly 'The Premature Burial' and 'The Fall of the House of Usher', serve as possible precursors to Bierce's narrative, the woodland setting and the notion of dark forces lurking within nature resonate with the works of Nathaniel Hawthorne.
The Symbolism of the Boarded Window
The boarded window in the story holds symbolic significance, representing Murlock's desire to shut out the outside world and retreat into seclusion. As the only window in the cabin, it serves as a visual representation of his decision to isolate himself following his wife's death. By boarding up the window, Murlock attempts to keep both literal and metaphorical beasts at bay, shielding himself from the dangers of the wilderness and closing himself off from society.
However, the window also symbolizes the constricting of Murlock's world. Once an ambitious and hopeful pioneer, he transforms into a reclusive figure, prematurely aged and disconnected from the outside world. The boarded window becomes a metaphorical barrier, reinforcing Murlock's withdrawal from society and his self-imposed confinement.
Narrative Perspective and Speculation
An intriguing aspect of 'The Boarded Window' is the narrative perspective employed by Bierce. The story is presented as the narrator's account of his grandfather's retelling of Murlock's life. However, the narrator adds conjecture and imaginative details, blurring the line between fact and speculation. This narrative technique challenges the reader to question the reliability of the information provided, highlighting the potential for subjective interpretation and embellishment in storytelling.
Bierce deliberately creates a narrative that invites readers to question the authenticity of the events and emotions described. This narrative strategy aligns with the American short story tradition, reminiscent of Mark Twain's early tales, where the storyteller's perspective may not always be entirely reliable or objective.
A Boarded Window of Interpretation
'The Boarded Window' serves as both a Gothic tale with a shocking climax and a thought-provoking exploration of storytelling itself. The story's structure, presented as a framed narrative, resembles a boarded window—allowing glimpses of what lies within but remaining opaque from the outside. Bierce's crafty storytelling invites readers to delve deeper into the narrative, questioning the boundaries between truth and fabrication, and ultimately leaving them with multiple layers of interpretation.
In 'The Boarded Window,' Ambrose Bierce masterfully combines elements of horror, psychological tension, and narrative ambiguity to create a tale that lingers in the reader's mind. By examining themes of isolation, premature burial, and the subjective nature of storytelling, Bierce invites us to contemplate the fragile line between reality and speculation.