Preview

Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document
Open Document
271 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge
"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" is about this southern planter Peyton Farquhar being hanged by the Union Army during the Civil War for trying to burn down Owl Creek Bridge. Ambrose Bierce depicted the entire story as if the rope around Farquhar's neck breaks and that leads to Farquhar falling into the river below, and then escaping back to his farm; where he reunited with his wife. Then at the end of the story, Bierce revealed to the readers that all the events were simply Farquhar's imagination at work in the few seconds between the drop of his rope and his death. In summary, he died and the rope did not break which allowed him to swim down the river. Bierce used a lot of description to show the readers about the environment and the

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    The elements of Naturalism at play in this story are present on the description of the scene where the story takes place. The description of Farquhar’s executioners is especially telling. “Two private soldiers of the Federal Army, directed by a sergeant who in civil life may have been a sheriff” demonstrates that war is not far removed from a civil life, as the sergeant is executing a man just as he would if he were a sheriff. Further along in the story Bierce describes Death as “a dignitary who when he comes announced is to be received with formal manifestations of respect, even by those most familiar with him.” By this statement, Bierce gives death a personality that links it with the human obsession with death. Further examples of realism are the descriptions of the environments that Farquhar imagines himself to be in. These depictions of things that are surreal and impossible lends to the desperation of the last vestiges of life to cling to the world. The passages that mention how clearly he can see his surroundings are examples of this. The best link to Naturalism in this story is the final description of the death of Peyton Farquhar, “Peyton Farquhar was dead: his body, with a broken neck, swung gently from side to side beneath the timbers of Owl Creek…

    • 891 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The question above asks of a question that us, the reader, can only assume as to whether or not the author meant a significance to the title “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.” The story overall revolves around the main character, Peyton Farquhar, who is sentenced to be hanged because he was deceived by a Yankee spy. When it is time for Peyton to jump, the noose breaks Peyton free and he swims to a road, dodging the bullets being fired at him. Peyton arrives at home greeted by his family, when snap the noose breaks his neck, leaving Peyton dead on Owl Creek Bridge. On the way down to his death, Peyton had one last glimpse of his life and family before he died. Since this question is more of a narrow-minded request, I believe that there is…

    • 171 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In reference to literary movements, naturalism and realism are quite similar but have clear differences to each other. Realism refers to writings that are based off the “real world” and the way a human in the real world would usually live their life. Naturalism is in a way a branch of realism and the stark difference between the two is that literary naturalist deemed that nature – things out of human control – determine humans/characters circumstances.…

    • 1170 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Throughout this story Bierce describes Farquhar’s lifestyle by using flashbacks to portray him in a better light and not just…

    • 165 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The story “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” written by Ambrose Bierce is about a wealthy Alabama plantation spy named Peyton Farquhar. Peyton was hanged at Owl Creek Bridge because he was misled by the Union soldiers into burning a bridge that would have inhibited the northerner’s troops to get through. As much as he was willing to protect his wealth, I guess he didn’t anticipate about the consequences. Therefore, he was caught by northerner’s soldiers for being immature about military discipline, and rules of engagement. I believe, if a person was acting a vigilant, whether they were civilian or soldier, the ultimate price was death. Not knowing anything about military discipline, or about rules of engagement, Farquhar chooses to act as…

    • 130 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the 7th grade I had a crush on my history – geography teacher, Ms. Nail. She was in her early to mid twenties with jet black hair, slim and attractive, I thought she was Jackie Kennedy's sister.…

    • 655 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Do you like surprise endings? “An Occurrence at Owl Creek”, by Ambrose Bierce supplies a startling one. Set in Alabama during the Civil War, Peyton Farquar, a well-to-do, slave owning plantation owner “who was at heart a soldier,” was kept out of the military service for reasons left vague. A Union scout,dressed as a Rebel, stops at his house and suggests burning a near by bridge now in Union hands. Set up, Farquar is caught and ordered to be hanged, during which the rope breaks and he makes good his escape. Upon reaching his home, thirty miles away, his reunion with his wife is cut short by the revelation that the escape was in his mind, he is actually hung! By using the literary elements point of view, setting, and symbolism, the author makes good his surprise.…

    • 594 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    To begin with Ambrose Bierce uses foreshadowing a lot in this story. For example Farquhar noticed veining on leaves along the river and the bugs. This brings the reader’s to believe that something is not normal because it is not human to be able to do that. “He could no longer feel the roadway beneath his feet!” Farquhar did not realize that his feet were no longer set into the ground because he was hanged. When the noose falls into the river with Farquhar it makes you believe things are not as they appear. The foreshadowing that he uses in this store creates a shocking effect.…

    • 524 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Being faced with death is a tragic event that will make most people recall and reflect on what is most essential in one's life. Symbolism, in this story, was used to create a sense of foreshadowing and suspense. Ambrose Bierce, the novelist of this story, used numerous examples of literary techniques to generate a foreshadowing of a shock effect in the account of "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge." One of the main techniques Bierce used was symbolism. He also used irony, allusion, imagery, and realism. Together, these built a foreshadowing/shock effect-literary technique.…

    • 396 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    This story is about two friends named Joe and Sam heading to Pittsburgh from New York City. Sam took the back road instead of taking the highway to Pittsburgh. This shows Sam is a person that doesn't rush things. The two friends in the story were in Pittsburgh and saw many historical attractions that attracted them. One of the historical attractions that attracted them was the Rockville Bridge. Another historical attraction was the Dauphin Borough Statue of Liberty. The message in this book was the back roads is not only a ride. It is a journey full of adventure like this historical adventure that you can't get from a highway.…

    • 110 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    What can be found in this essay are the answers to the questions assigned to respond to at home after reading the story “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”. There are a variety of elements that are going to be discussed such as how a simple plan affected Farquhar as much as it did. The author really did play with some points of view throughout the story and that may be the reason of my confusion while reading it even though the author did include many details about Farquhar’s experience. I hope that this essay can clarify any doubts regarding the story.…

    • 718 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Owl Creek Bridge Suspense

    • 296 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The author uses few details to describe the narrator and does not explain the reason the narrator is being hung, to create a feeling of suspense in “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.” For example, Bierce states, “Evidently this was no vulgar assassin. The liberal military code makes provision for hanging many kinds of persons, and gentlemen are not excluded.” (Page 2) This quote demonstrates the lack of detail the author used to describe the narrator in the beginning of the story, which helps create and suspenseful mood throughout the text. By not including many descriptive details, the reader is clueless as to why Farquhar is being hung making him a sympathetic character, who is awaiting an undeserved fate. This helps to create suspense because…

    • 296 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    In "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, " Bierce focuses on detail and the dramatic revelation of Farquhar's dying thoughts as he desperate tries to escape the hangmen. This creates a suspenseful journey that seems to see him freed from his noose and carried almost home to the loving arms of his wife. "As these thoughts, which have here to be set down in words, were flashed into the doomed man's brain rather than evolved…

    • 1160 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The story takes us down a road were we are deceived by the ending. Bierce is a realist and naturalist conveying a message that we fall prey. He manipulates us in to believing Peyton Farquhar has escaped his captivity knowing all along that would be impossible. He also has us believing that the spy is a Confederate Solider giving Farquhar a way to help the South. Farquhar then believes he can be a hero by burning the bridge. Maybe Farquhar has once dreamed he was a hero in the war because he didn’t join the Confederate Army. This could be why he dreams he was free after being hanged. The story shows us how we are manipulated away from our common sense. We get caught up in our on world wanting believe things that cannot possibly be…

    • 138 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Leader of the People

    • 1480 Words
    • 6 Pages

    thinking about the future and not dreaming of the past. Grandfather on the other hand still wishes he was with the Indians and was leading the people across the plains, as he tells in his stories. He does not want to give up on that until he hears Carl talk about him behind his back. This seems to bring him into reality once he realizes that no one cares about his adventures anymore. He portrays this when Jody suggests that he too lead the people. Grandfather simply responds that there is nowhere left to explore and that he should not lead the people. In "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge," Farquhar is a character that…

    • 1480 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays