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.