An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge
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Transcript of An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge
An Occurrence at Owl Creek BridgeWritten by Ambrose Bierce
Ambrose Bierce
OhioIndianaAttended military
academy – Kentucky
Enlisted in Union Army
Fought in several imp battles in Civil War; wounded
Bierce as a Writer
Journalist in San FranciscoWrote biting political and social satire“Bitter Bierce”“Wickedest man in San Francisco,” yet
charmed manyWrote short stories set in Civil WarCruelty of war; pessimism; contempt of
humanity
“An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”
Realism Setting –
Alabama (Civil War)
Structure – Divided into 3 sections
OverviewPayton Farquhar
is about to be hanged by Union soldiers, we learn:
Who he isHow he got
thereHis 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 character35 yrs oldPlanter; 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 a desire 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
bridgeThird person POV
Part III
Picks up where Part I left offLimited third person POVInsight as to what happens at
death Details Farquhar’s thoughts
and feelings
Peyton’s Initial Experience
PainSense of suffocationInitial loss of thought; only had
feelingPulsating fireRoaring in his earsFiery heart of a luminous cloudLight (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
nooseDire pain in his neckHead 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 swimmingSounds 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 streamSand 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 forestThought of wife and children urge
him onRoad- untraveled; stars-
unfamiliar grouped strangely (“malign significance”)
Hears whispers in an unknown tongue
Peyton’s Feelings
Neck is swollen and hurtsEyes and tongue swollenCan no longer feel roadway
beneath his feetDreaming? 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
ThemesDreams and reality
Romantic view of war vs. brutality and violence
Escape vs. deathBrutality of warDeception
Union soldier posing as ConfederateFarquhar – thinks he can escape
SatireFarquhar 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.