# Bats in Sunshine explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ambrose Bierce.

## What happens

The narrator addresses Mr. Kemble, a divine, criticizing his intolerance of Renan's writings and suggesting that his thrift and piety mask a lack of true toleration. The poem asserts that truth's purpose is to expose and confound those who hide from it.

## Themes in this chapter

### Hypocrisy and Corruption

The narrator accuses Mr. Kemble of mistaking thrift for toleration, highlighting religious hypocrisy.

### Deception and Self-Deception

Mr. Kemble's intolerance is masked as piety, reflecting self-deception about his own motives.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown

The speaker who addresses Mr. Kemble and defends Renan's ideas.

## Key lines

> You say that you’ve no patience with such stuff As by Rénan is writ, and when you read (Why do you read?) have hardly strength enough To hold your hand from flinging the vile screed Into the fire.

You claim to have no tolerance for Renan's writings and almost throw them into the fire.

_Highlights Mr. Kemble's reactionary attitude toward Renan's work._

> I fear, good, pious soul, that you mistake Your thrift for toleration.

I suspect you confuse your frugality with genuine tolerance.

_Accuses Mr. Kemble of conflating material thrift with spiritual open-mindedness._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se/chapters/bats-in-sunshine
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se/chapters