Short Story Explication
Short Story Explication
What Would You Think About In Your Final Moment?
One’s final moments often leave many questions. “What will my final thoughts be?” or “What would my final statement to the world be?” Reflections on death are often avoided because death can be terrifying but, if forced to think about it, what would you do in the final moments of your life? The author of An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, Ambrose Bierce, wants the reader to focus on his or her final moments and how they might unfold. The author is able to make the reader feel as though he or she is actually sharing the protagonist, Peyton’s, terrifying experience and provokes reaction and deep feeling. The plot is intriguing, unique and takes the reader on an emotional rollercoaster. By using character development, the author is able to make the main character personable and relatable. Additionally, the setting and it’s description, pulls the reader into the text and transports him/her to Peyton’s world. The author hooks the reader with these elements and ultimately forces him or her to reflect on his/her last moments of life.
In the story of An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, Peyton Farquhar, is hanged by Union Troops for supporting the Confederate cause during the Civil War. While the plot is fairly simple, the literary techniques used in it’s presentation create suspense and controlled confusion. The plot does not progress in chronological order, rather it takes place over a period of flashbacks and fantasies that amount to only a few seconds in Peyton’s life. It is in Peyton’s last seconds that he envisions escaping death and returning to his family, introducing a fantastic plot twist that forces the reader to think about how he/she would live his/her final moments in life. Already dead or dying from hanging, suddenly the author, Ambrose Bierce, makes the reader think perhaps Peyton has survived the hanging. “The power of thought was restored; he knew that the rope had broken
What Would You Think About In Your Final Moment?
One’s final moments often leave many questions. “What will my final thoughts be?” or “What would my final statement to the world be?” Reflections on death are often avoided because death can be terrifying but, if forced to think about it, what would you do in the final moments of your life? The author of An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, Ambrose Bierce, wants the reader to focus on his or her final moments and how they might unfold. The author is able to make the reader feel as though he or she is actually sharing the protagonist, Peyton’s, terrifying experience and provokes reaction and deep feeling. The plot is intriguing, unique and takes the reader on an emotional rollercoaster. By using character development, the author is able to make the main character personable and relatable. Additionally, the setting and it’s description, pulls the reader into the text and transports him/her to Peyton’s world. The author hooks the reader with these elements and ultimately forces him or her to reflect on his/her last moments of life.
In the story of An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, Peyton Farquhar, is hanged by Union Troops for supporting the Confederate cause during the Civil War. While the plot is fairly simple, the literary techniques used in it’s presentation create suspense and controlled confusion. The plot does not progress in chronological order, rather it takes place over a period of flashbacks and fantasies that amount to only a few seconds in Peyton’s life. It is in Peyton’s last seconds that he envisions escaping death and returning to his family, introducing a fantastic plot twist that forces the reader to think about how he/she would live his/her final moments in life. Already dead or dying from hanging, suddenly the author, Ambrose Bierce, makes the reader think perhaps Peyton has survived the hanging. “The power of thought was restored; he knew that the rope had broken