Short Fiction · Character
Alcibiade
A young man who returns to the old plantation after years away and finds himself summoned to a dying patriarch's bedside as 'Alcibiade, mon fils.'
supporting
Also known as Alcibiade Mr. Fred Bartner, Fred Bartner, Bartner
First appearance: The Return of Alcibiade
As a supporting figure in Short Fiction, Alcibiade is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
Monsieur Jean Ba's son, killed in the war, whose return is still hoped for by his father every Christmas.
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Bartner comes back to Nég Sévérin to find Monsieur Jean Ba failing and the old man mistaking him, or choosing to mistake him, for a son named Alcibiade. He answers the summons patiently, holds the old man's hand, and…
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The fuller portrait of Alcibiade sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.
See Alcibiade in The Return of AlcibiadeCharacter Web
4 connectionsA slice of how Alcibiade sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Other
Character groups
- Return, secrets, and passion
- Family secrets and hidden desires
- Dreams and devotion on the bayou
- Mysterious origins and tragedy
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Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This is the story's dramatic climax because Mrs. Mallard reaches the emotional and psychological peak of her e…
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Follow the arc while readingIn the story
Alcibiade appears across 2 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
Chapter companion notes
Spoil-light check-ins for Alcibiade unlock in the free preview.
See Alcibiade in The Return of Alcibiade