“The Boarded Window”: 'The Oregon Trail' Lied to Us

Paranormal Pajama Party

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19.2.24
Paranormal Pajama Party
“The Boarded Window” | 5

⚠️ This episode contains spoilers ahead for “The Boarded Window”, which I read at the beginning. You can read it here (for free!) first if you’d prefer. ⚠️
In Ambrose Bierce’s popular short story, “The Boarded Window”, the mysterious former pioneer Murlock lives out his solitary existence in a one-room cabin, the standout feature of which is a single boarded-up window.
But tonight’s episode isn’t about Murlock. It’s not even about the shocking twist that made this story an instant classic. Believe it or not, this episode is about a woman.
Tough, resilient, and ultimately meeting her demise in a harrowing way, she’s the epitome of the strength and courage of women on the American frontier. And, of course, that means someone is scared of her.
In this episode, we’re talking about everything from the 19th-century fear of premature burial (taphophobia, for those in the know), to the lack of autonomy for pioneer wives, to the inadequate representation of women in literature.
We also run through the biography of Bierce, who would’ve been offended by any feminist analysis of his work. I’m fine with this.
Key moments

• 0:40 "The Boarded Window" by Ambrose Bierce
• 12:09 Welcome to the party!
• 15:29 All about Ambrose
• 19:39 Taphophobia
• 20:42 A blank canvas?
• 30:25 The real hero

(Some) Sources

• The Boarded Window (Wikipedia)
• Ambrose Bierce (Wikipedia)
• Ambrose Bierce's The Boarded Window: A Detailed Summary and a Literary Analysis
• A Summary and Analysis of Ambrose Bierce’s ‘The Boarded Window’
• The Premature Burial (Wikipedia)
• Klein, M. San Francisco and Her Hateful Ambrose Bierce
• Woman's Embodied Self: Feminist Perspectives on Identity and Image
• Talley, S. Childhood and the Fear of Death in Ambrose Bierce's "The Parenticide Club" and "Visions of the Night"
• Devil's Dictionary

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View all my sources for each episode and read the episode transcipt here.
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