Ambrose Bierce's A Vine On A House

Death signifies the end of one’s existence, but some choose to come back to haunt those who have done them wrong. Matilda, the wife of Robert Harding and the mother of two young children, was buried deep in the depths of the Earth but still managed to leave an impact on those who came close enough to listen. However, many chose to ignore her plea for justice, and her murder went unnoticed. Ambrose Bierce incorporates deep symbolism, heavy irony, and allusive imagery in his short story, A Vine on a House, to describe the evil nature of the world in the late 1800’s.
One’s perception of the supernatural can be swayed by taking a deeper look at the symbolism dispersed throughout the text. Such symbolism can be seen when Bierce states that, “these unfailing signs of the supernatural are partly concealed and greatly softened by the abundant foliage of a large vine overrunning the entire structure.” One can conclude that there is an evil nature that is connected to the house, but it goes unnoticed due to the vine that peaks the interest of many instead. On a broader scale, the large vine

For example, this irony can be seen when “the Rev. J Gruber, of Norton, and a Maysville attorney named Hyatt met on horseback in front of the Harding place.” While first skimming over this quote, one may find no significance behind it, but as the reader takes a closer look, there is. From this, the conclusion can be made that Matilda was trying to lure people in, such as the attorney and the reverend, to bring them to the realization that her husband, Robert, had killed her, but had managed to evade punishment for his actions. More significantly, the way in which Rev. J Gruber and the attorney respond to the activity of the vine, not detecting the true cause of the absurdity, shows how fear can alter one’s thinking, causing them to overlook the murder of