An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge Written by Ambrose Bierce

Ambrose Bierce • OhioIndiana • Attended military academy – Kentucky • Enlisted in Union Army • Fought in several imp battles in Civil War; wounded

Bierce as a Writer • Journalist in San Francisco • Wrote biting political and social satire • “Bitter Bierce” • “Wickedest man in San Francisco,” yet charmed many • Wrote short stories set in Civil War • Cruelty of war; pessimism; contempt of humanity

“An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” • Realism • Setting – Alabama (Civil War) • Structure – Divided into 3 sections

Overview • Payton Farquhar is about to be hanged by Union soldiers, we learn: • Who he is • How he got there • His fate-imagined and real

Three Sections - Part I • Third person point of view; an objective account of the setting with a realistic description of details • Description of character • 35 yrs old • Planter; wore well-fitting frock • Brief insight into thoughts of the character before the hanging • Time slows down; senses become more acute

Part II – Background • Farquhar“longs for the release of his energies;” has adesire for “the larger life of a soldier” and “the opportunity for distinction” • The deception by the “gray-clad soldier” • The motivation for the destruction of the bridge • Third person POV

Part III • Picks up where Part I left off • Limited third person POV • Insight as to what happens at death • Details Farquhar’s thoughts and feelings

Peyton’s Initial Experience • Pain • Sense of suffocation • Initial loss of thought; only had feeling • Pulsating fire • Roaring in his ears • Fiery heart of a luminous cloud • Light (brightness)

Thought is restored: • Rises towards surface of water • “I do not wish to be shot… that is not fair.” • Frees his hands; tears away the noose • Dire pain in his neck • Head emerges from water; blinded by sunlight

Senses are intensified: • Saw individual trees, leaves, veins, insects on them • “prismatic colors in dewdrops upon the million blades of grass” • Humming of gnats; beating of dragonflies’ wings; fish swimming • Sounds made “audible music” • Sees soldiers “forms gigantic” • Hears shots; guns and cannon

Other sensations: • Feels himself “spinning like a top” • Flung up on gravel bank of stream • Sand looks like “diamonds, rubies, emeralds” • Wind made music of “aeolian harps” • Content; whiz of grapeshot arouses him from dream

Peyton’s “Escape” • Travels all day, footsore, through the forest • Thought of wife and children urge him on • Road- untraveled; stars- unfamiliar grouped strangely (“malign significance”) • Hears whispers in an unknown tongue

Peyton’s Feelings • Neck is swollen and hurts • Eyes and tongue swollen • Can no longer feel roadway beneath his feet • Dreaming? Recovering from delirium?

Final Scene Home - beautiful sunlight Wife – cool & sweet; smiles with joy Reaches for her Blow on neck; blinding white light; sound of cannon-darkness & silence-death

Themes • Dreams and reality • Romantic view of war vs. brutality and violence • Escape vs. death • Brutality of war • Deception • Union soldier posing as Confederate • Farquhar – thinks he can escape

Satire • Farquhar himself is the subject • “All is fair in love and war” and sees war as “opportunity for distinction” • Sees burning bridge as opportunity for glory death

Irony • You are led to believe that Farquhar will become involved in a covert or secret operation to destroy the bridge. • What actually occurs is that Farquhar himself is tricked is tricked by a Union soldier.

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge