Summary of the story an occurrence at owl creek bridge. An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce Plot Summary 2022-10-30

Summary of the story an occurrence at owl creek bridge Rating: 4,1/10 1285 reviews

"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" is a short story by Ambrose Bierce that was first published in 1890. It is a psychological thriller that tells the story of Peyton Farquhar, a wealthy plantation owner in Alabama who is sentenced to death by hanging for trying to sabotage a bridge used by Union soldiers during the American Civil War.

The story begins with Farquhar standing on the Owl Creek Bridge, with a noose around his neck and Union soldiers standing guard. As the soldiers prepare to hang him, Farquhar's thoughts wander and he begins to daydream about escaping his fate. In his mind, he manages to break free from the noose and swim to shore, where he is able to evade his pursuers and make his way back to his family.

As he travels, Farquhar encounters many obstacles and dangers, including a venomous snake and a group of Union soldiers. Despite these challenges, he remains determined to reach his home and reunite with his wife and children.

As he nears his destination, Farquhar's daydream becomes increasingly vivid and detailed, until it seems almost real. However, just as he reaches the safety of his home, he is suddenly jerked back to reality as the noose tightens around his neck and he falls to his death.

In the end, it is revealed that Farquhar's escape was only a figment of his imagination and that he died instantly when the rope snapped his neck. The story is a powerful meditation on the nature of reality and the power of the human mind to conjure up alternative worlds and scenarios in times of crisis.

Overall, "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" is a thought-provoking and suspenseful tale that explores themes of life, death, and the human condition. Its vivid and immersive writing style draws the reader into Farquhar's desperate plight, making for a truly memorable and haunting reading experience.

A Summary and Analysis of Ambrose Bierceā€™s ā€˜An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridgeā€™

summary of the story an occurrence at owl creek bridge

It has a whole timeline of Fahrquhar in the water and finally reaching home. Imagery is used throughout the entire story to show that Peyton is hallucinating. This timeline lasted for the rest of the day. The light recedes and then grows brighter, as if he has now begun to rise towards the surface. He closed his eyes in order to fix his last thoughts upon his wife and children. Farquhar comes back up for air as the soldiers reload, and the sentinels fire again from the bridge.

Next

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge: Full Plot Summary

summary of the story an occurrence at owl creek bridge

Through the entire short story Bierce uses many different types of foreshadowing to anticipate the fate of the main character. Suddenly he is spun into a disorienting whirl, then ejected from the river onto a gravelly bank out of sight and range of his would-be executioners and their gunfire. For instance, the film does not tell us how the main character, Farquhar, gets into the situation he is in. Once the captain gives him the cue, the sergeant will move off the board, causing it to tilt downwards. More Stories To Enjoy Aside from An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge By Ambrose BierceStory, An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge Summary Analysis, here are more stories for you and your children to enjoy. The story itself gives the readers a false sense of hope that Farquhar might actually escape his own death. What he heard was the ticking of his watch.

Next

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce Plot Summary

summary of the story an occurrence at owl creek bridge

Ah, how beautiful she is! One lodged between his collar and neck; it was uncomfortably warm and he snatched it out. We then move to the second section of the story. Peyton Farquhar was dead; his body, with a broken neck, swung gently from side to side beneath the timbers of the Owl Creek bridge. He had even lost the desire to increase the distance between himself and the pursuers. His next physical move is in the control of other people- he no longer has possession of his own body and movement. There was something uncanny in the revelation. An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge Summary An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge is split into three parts.

Next

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge Summary & Analysis

summary of the story an occurrence at owl creek bridge

As Farquhar hangs on the bridge, he hears the ticking of his watch as loud as a blacksmith's hammer. That continues the sense of cosmic justice form the passage aboveā€”that Farquhar is being tormented for his sins before his life is snuffed outā€”while also making a keen point about the antebellum society his family represents. He finds no sign of human habitation in the woods and as the afternoon turns into evening, his surroundings take on a surreal quality. We can view the situation and all aspects while it is written in third person; we know precisely what is going on, we know it is real. The man himself is about thirty-five, and bears the clothes and bearing of a gentleman rather than a military figure. His senses have become preternaturally alert, allowing him to notice the tiniest details in the natural world around him. That society was destroyed by the Civil War and can never come back.


Next

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge: Point of View & Tone

summary of the story an occurrence at owl creek bridge

His mind invented the only possible escape. The sergeant salutes the captain then positions himself on the opposite end of the board supporting Farquhar, as the captain, like the soldiers, steps off and away from the crossties. His watch ticks loudly. He is surrounded by Union soldiers, both on the bridge itself and on the nearby bank, who are preparing to execute him. The man to be hanged is about thirty-five and is dressed in the expensive clothes of a gentleman.


Next

Short Story Analysis: ā€œAn Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridgeā€ by Ambrose Bierce

summary of the story an occurrence at owl creek bridge

Just before he embraces his wife, he feels a searing pain. Bierce uses time in his favor as he switches between the past and the present life of the main character, Peyton Farquhar, as he lives his last moments. He gets shot at by a marksman twice and then hears the men being ordered to fire. This allowed what the witness was saying to have more meaning and get the message across more effectively. In this story, the plot is centered on understanding the inner thoughts of Peyton Farquhar as he experiences the last few moments of his life. The story never shows Farquhar trying to burn the bridge, but this action is implied when the visiting soldier actually a Union spy tells Farquhar that there is a lot of dry wood near the bridge that would catch fire easily. Ellis 928 Words 4 Pages Not only that but he succeed in filling this book with the energies of what it felt like to be in these stories.

Next

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge Summary

summary of the story an occurrence at owl creek bridge

He feels renewed and acutely aware of his surroundings. Suddenly he heard a sharp report and something struck the water smartly within a few inches of his head, spattering his face with spray. The story centers on a different reality that Farquhar creates in his mind, while he's really hanging, with no heartbeat, just activity in his brain. As to his head, he was conscious of nothing but a feeling of fulnessā€”of congestion. As he walks toward the house, his wife steps down from the verandah to meet him.

Next

Summary: An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge

summary of the story an occurrence at owl creek bridge

The story is set during the Civil War, and was first collected in Bierce's book Tales of Soldiers and Civilians also published with the title In the Midst of Life in 1891. In the first paragraph, the very image of a single man- bound to death, with several soldiers surrounding him and waiting for the execution- presents the cruelty and ruthlessness of war. Opening his eyes and peering again into the water, Farquhar imagines freeing his hands, removing the noose, and plunging into the stream, swimming to freedom and his home, safely located outside enemy lines. How does the structure reflect these themes? Here is the detailed synopsis of the story. To escape the gunfire, Peyton dives under the surface and emerges for air further downstream.

Next