# CLXXXIV explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ambrose Bierce.

## What happens

Satan tells the narrator that all the souls in this place have been happy until the narrator arrived, and that he causes trouble wherever he goes. Satan then ejects Hope.

## Themes in this chapter

### Deception and Self-Deception

Satan's claim that all souls were happy before the narrator arrived suggests a self-deceptive or manipulative framing of the narrator's influence.

## Character check-ins

### Jack Satan

Satan speaks to the narrator, ejecting Hope and blaming the narrator for causing trouble.

### Unknown

The narrator is addressed by Satan as the source of trouble in the afterlife.

## Key lines

> All the souls in this place have been happy ever since you blundered into it

Every soul here was content until you stumbled in.

_Satan accuses the narrator of disrupting the peace of the afterlife._

> You make trouble wherever you go.

You cause problems no matter where you are.

_Satan directly blames the narrator for creating discord._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se/chapters/clxxxiv
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se/chapters