"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" is a short story written by Ambrose Bierce and published in 1890. It tells the tale of Peyton Farquhar, a Southern plantation owner who is sentenced to death by hanging for attempting to sabotage a Union Army railroad bridge during the American Civil War.
As the story begins, Farquhar is standing on the Owl Creek Bridge, with a noose around his neck and Union soldiers standing guard. Farquhar's thoughts wander as he contemplates his imminent death and the events that led him to this point. He remembers his wife and children, and the thoughts of them give him strength and courage as he faces his final moments.
However, as Farquhar stands on the bridge, something strange happens. He suddenly finds himself free of the noose and running through the woods, pursued by Union soldiers. Farquhar's escape is nothing short of miraculous, and he manages to elude his pursuers as he makes his way towards home.
As he runs, Farquhar's thoughts continue to wander, and he imagines all sorts of scenarios in which he is reunited with his family and able to start a new life. He even imagines the joy and surprise on his wife's face when he returns home.
Unfortunately, Farquhar's escape is nothing more than a dream, and the story ends with him being hanged from the Owl Creek Bridge. The twist ending is a poignant reminder that life can be fragile and unpredictable, and that our dreams and desires can often be shattered in an instant.
Overall, "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" is a powerful and poignant story that explores the themes of life, death, and the power of the human imagination. Its twist ending has made it a classic of American literature, and it remains an enduring testament to the enduring power of the human spirit.
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge: Peyton Farquhar
Then, an …show more content… He goes out of his way to perform services to support the Confederate cause. Objects were represented by their colors only; circular horizontal streaks of color--that was all he saw. Peyton Farquhar was dead; his body, with a broken neck, swung gently from side to side beneath the timbers of the Owl Creek bridge. Then it began to grow and brighten, and he knew that he was rising toward the surface--knew it with reluctance, for he was now very comfortable. This just seems too obvious that the gray clad soldier is setting Peyton up to be captured and hanged. The water is somewhat of a savior for this tired, thirsty soldier, and later in the story the water in the creek is a savior for Peyton or so he thinks. There was something uncanny in the revelation.
Peyton Farquhar's An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge
While the interaction is casual, the scene provides a form of warning to viewers unfamiliar with the historical context of the film. At the bottom of the steps she stands waiting, with a smile of ineffable joy, an attitude of matchless grace and dignity. On the shore, Peyton describes the sand as diamonds, rubies, and emeralds. And as a good Southern boy, Farquhar complies and talks about the bridge. Farquahar perceives his own duty or "rules" for defending the Confederacy.
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge
Peyton Farquhar was dead; his body, with a broken neck, swung gently from side to side beneath the timbers of the Owl Creek bridge. Six military men and a company of infantrymen are present. In Part I, the only thing we know about the man is his age and his physical attributes. Farquhar is a slave owner dedicated to the Confederate cause, and willing to risk his own safety to advance it. He must have traveled the entire night. His optimism could at times be interpreted as delusions. This may play up dramatic irony, but in my opinion, I lose a little of my compassion for Farquhar due to his arrogance and recklessness.
Peyton Farquhar Character Analysis in An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge
Excepting the group of four at the center of the bridge, not a man moved. It seems that Farquhar is awakened by the cold current of the river, having lost consciousness after the noose broke and he fell from the bridge. It was ironic he believed he could actually escape execution and proves how powerless he in saving himself. In the story "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" the main character, Peyton Farquhar, could only have imagined his escape home before he died. The entire story leads up to the tragic end where Farquhar dies. Although he technically could not have been executed for owning slaves, he could be for being behind enemy lines. Up to this period in the Civil War, the fighting was not about slavery.
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge: Character Analysis of Peyton Farquhar Essay Example
Sound: Bierce describes the silence by amplifying certain sounds like the ticking of Farquhar's watch , the raging river, while the soldiers, guns and cannon remain silent. Peyton Farquhar's hanging actually happens in minutes and he ends up dying at the end of the story. However, when we analyze this sudden turn, we realize that all through the story we have been subtly forewarned of Farquhar's demise. Otherwise, I agree that he should have been able to see that it was a trap. He was sure they were arranged in some order which had a secret and malign significance.
