Fear In An Occurrence Of Owl Creek Bridge

“Fear is an extraordinary thing. Most of us are afraid of something or another. Fear creates illusion; fear makes us suspicious, arrogant; fear makes us seek all kinds of refuge…” (The Collected Works of J. Krishnamurti, (1962-1963): A Psychological Revolution). Fear drives people to search for sanctuary, and causes a yearning for an interlude of peace. In Ambrose Bierce’s “An Occurrence of Owl Creek Bridge”, fear of an imminent death warps time and reality, and provides a false sense of hope, which distracts from reality.
Death’s unsettling fear surrounds Peyton Farquhar, the story’s protagonist, who stands atop a plank, noose wrapped around his neck, eyes closed “in order to fix his last thoughts upon his wife and kids”, realizing the cost
They were indeed preternaturally keen.” The escape plan Peyton had envisioned miraculously prevailed, escaping the bridge and falling into the water. After brushing the death’s shoulder, Peyton’s perspective shifts, creating bright and vivid detail in his surroundings. Reaching land a wave of relief washes over Peyton as he digs his fingers into the sand, escaping the bridge and his death. The relief experienced as the journey home comes to an end releases his burdens, giving him a sense of floating, “He could no longer feel the roadway beneath his feet.” distracting the mind from the occurrence on the bridge.
Throughout both reality and fantasy, Peyton appears easily distracted, observing the driftwood and “how sluggish” the river moves. Even on the journey home, Peyton becomes distracted with odd patterns in the stars and the strange forest tree line. These distractions nurtured a false sense of hope, in the form of his loving wife and home; however "as he is about to clasp her he feels a stunning blow upon the back oh the neck; a blinding white light blazes all about him with a sound like the shock of a cannon- then all is darkness and silence" death tears that hope