Poetry · Chapter
Chas. B. Moore explained
A brief, whimsical verse about Charles B.
What happens
A brief, whimsical verse about Charles B. Moore, a vice-president of the American Bond & Mortgage Co. in Chicago, who feels no guilt over a bear that was meant to be killed, questioning why the farmer should cry over spilt milk.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This is the story's dramatic climax because the speaker confronts the painful realization that his child’s lov…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Humor and Satire
The verse uses playful rhyme and absurdity to comment on guilt and responsibility.
Characters to notice
- Chas. B. Moore
Vice-President of American Bond & Mortgage Co., Chicago; subject of a lighthearted verse about a bear and spilt milk.
Key passages
“In Charles there’s no feeling of guilt; ’Twas a bear that he meant should be kilt. And I cannot see why The farmer should cry Over milk unavoidably spilt.”
Charles feels no remorse because he intended to kill the bear; the farmer's tears over spilled milk seem pointless.
The verse humorously dismisses regret over unavoidable outcomes.
