Ten Nights in a Bar Room

"Ten Nights in a Bar Room" by T. S. Arthur is a cautionary tale set in the mid-1800s, revealing the devastating impact of alcohol on people and their loved ones through the story of Joe Morgan, a formerly admired miller who becomes addicted to drinking. The novel takes place mostly in Simon Slade’s tavern; he is hopeful about his new business and believes his son is safe from becoming an alcoholic. As people visit the tavern, we meet Joe Morgan, who struggles with his own weakness. The story looks at the relationships among Slade, his family, and the negative effects of alcohol, as represented by Joe Morgan and others, suggesting bigger ideas about doing what is right, temptation, and the harmful influence of taverns. As the lives of people in town cross paths, the reader begins to understand the potential disaster that alcohol can provoke in their lives.