Life can be stressful, difficult, and worrisome. It is nearly impossible to avoid the struggles of the real world. However, the mind does give people a tool to temporarily elude them -- the imagination. If used properly, the imagination can allow a person to temporarily escape the harsh reality of life. Ambrose Bierce, a Civil War veteran, displays this in the short story, “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.” Bierce uses the “Owl Creek Bridge” and the “Owl Creek” to symbolize the perception of the imagination. He displays the gap between reality and imagination by changing his style of writing throughout the story. He transitions from a basic style of writing, that represents the constraints of real life, to an intricate one, that represents the freedom of imagination.Within this imagination, Bierce plays with irony to show how it can be a defense mechanism against death itself. …show more content…
As the text unfolds, Bierce uses the “Owl Creek” and the “Owl Creek Bridge” as symbols to show how Farquhar encompassed himself in his imagination in an effort to theoretically escape reality.
The author introduces both these elements within the first sentence of the story: “A man stood upon a railroad bridge in northern Alabama, looking down into the swift water twenty feet below” (Bierce, Para 1). In the text, the bridge connects the confederate land to the union land. The confederate land is where his home is, and therefore is a part of his life. The union army is trying to take that away from him, making them a representation of death. Farquhar attempts to burn the bridge and stop the union forces from advancing. He is trying to destroy the realization of death taking over his life. The Owl Creek Bridge represents the problems that reality withholds. Farquhar cannot escape those struggles through force, but instead is able to escape them through creative thought. He pictures himself dropping down from the bridge, into the stream, to which his imaginative adventure
begins. In the beginning of the story, Bierce describes the stream as “madly racing” (Bierce Para 4) below Farquhar. However, as the story goes on and Farquhar begins to plan his escape, the stream is described as “sluggish” (Bierce Para 4). During the time that Farquhar enters his imaginative world, time slows down, and so does the stream. The stream symbolizes his stream-of-consciousness. Once he is submerged in the stream, he is able to do whatever he pleases. He can change the environment around him, dodge bullets, and much more. Throughout the text, Bierce changes his style of writing from basic to intricate. He does this in an effort to compare the capabilities of the imagination to the repressions of reality. The author starts out the story with a very simple writing style. The sentences are primarily factual. For instance, the union leader was characterized as nothing but “captain” (Bierce Para 1). Not only were the characters described in little detail, but the hanging was also. The process of preparing a man’s death could be described very dramatically, but it was not. This brings up the question, why did Bierce choose to write in such a plain manner? Bierce most likely chose this style of writing to emphasize the heavy constraints of reality. Reality leaves little room for ingenuity. It deprives a person of their creative input and confines them to the laws of the world. Luckily, Bierce recognized a cognitive universe in which anything is possible. He incorporated the imagination into the text by writing in an artistic style. Once Farquhar falls into his imagination, the text begins to become much more elaborate. The sand on which Farquhar was flung onto is described as “diamonds, rubies, and emeralds” (Bierce Para 34). He looked at the forest and saw the “veining of each leaf”, the “brilliant-bodied flies”, and the “grey spiders stretching their webs from twig to twig” (Bierce, Para 22). This elaborate way of writing describes the power that the imagination holds. It is able to transform perception, create vivid landscapes, and ultimately dodge death. His imagination allowed him to forget the sorrows of reality and form a fantasy situation of his own. In the last seconds of the story, Bierce incorporates irony to display how the imagination can be used to allay the fear of death. Farquhar had imaginatively escaped from the scene and journeyed back home to his family. Everything seemed to be in its place again. As he reached his house, he saw his beautiful wife stepping down from the veranda to meet him. Farquhar, “springing forward with extended arms” (Bierce, 37) tried to hug his wife, however, the story then turns back to reality to which Farquhar is left hanging on the bridge. Farquhar's imagination may not have permanently solved his problems, but it did make them easier to deal with. Instead of dying a gruesome death, Farquhar cognitively transformed the situation into a pleasant one. Another ironic situation was the setting on which the hanging took place. Farquhar was hanged from the bridge--reality--which sits over the stream--fantasy. Farquhar imagined himself escaping, but in the end, could not break free from the tight grasp of reality. There is no way to leave your conscious mind permanently. Reality will always pull you back into its struggles. Nevertheless, this does not render the imagination pointless. Bierce shows the success of the imagination when he describes Farquhar’s breathless body as swinging “gently from side to side” (Bierce, Para 4). Farquhar, with his mind, was able to calm the process of death. Bierce is displaying that the imagination is more than a word to describe a child's mind. It is a tool to be used to fend off life's biggest battles. Bierce’s past was the main component of his writing. He pulled emotions and ideas from his personal experiences during the gruesome events of the Civil War. It is for this reason that he noticed the boundless potential of the imagination. Bierce explained this potential through symbolic messages, alterations in his writing style, and ironic situations. He displayed, through the text, that the imagination can allow a person to briefly withdraw themselves from the problems of the world. It permits a person to live in a situation that reality cannot give them. A situation where the deceased are still living and the dying are thriving. Maybe, just maybe, if a person used their imagination enough, they would be able to take their fantasy and build a mirroring reality.
The story an Occurrence at Owl creek bridge, shows how a man , named Farquhar when
Last but not least, O’Connor confirms that even a short story is a multi-layer compound that on the surface may deter even the most enthusiastic reader, but when handled with more care, it conveys universal truths by means of straightforward or violent situations. She herself wished her message to appeal to the readers who, if careful enough, “(…)will come to see it as something more than an account of a family murdered on the way to Florida.”
In Shirley Jackson’s short story The Lottery, the people of a small American town struggle to hold onto a gruesome tradition, one which has greatly affected the moral values of the society. In writing this story, Jackson is commenting on tradition; how, when taken to extremes, it can hinder society. THis horrible tradition of stoning people to death is a normal event from the perspective of the townspeople; one which is practised by the whole town. Early on in the story, the narrator states that the lottery “was conducted - as were the square dances, the teen club, the Halloween program - by Mr. Summer…” (Jackson 1). As evidenced by this quote, the lottery was just another event comparable to other events that society deems normal. In other words:
In Ambrose Bierces " An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" two private soldiers of the Federal army were appointed by a sergeant to lynch Peyton Farquhar from a elderly suspended bridge because of his attempt to aid the Confederate forces. He was to be executed for aiding the confederate forces. He knew his death was at his fingertips and couldn’t help ponder its arrival. He looks at the river below observing the depth of the river. Early on in the story Ambrose portrays Peyton, from his perspective, seeing a shallow river. The fact that the river is shallow and will defiantly kill Peyton distracts the reader from the truth behind the mans observation. Peytonseeing the river shallow is foreshadowing the actual depth of the river. In fact the river is so deep that when the rope snaps it seems he falls endlessly in the water. The reader is eagerly awaiting the soon death of Peyton, then suddenly surprised while the river cushions his fall. Several other soldiers were relentlessly targeting the man at ...
Ambrose Bierce’s “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” brings upon many questions relating to its change in perspectives and the focus on the character. The story is classified as realism based on the fact that the author, Bierce, focuses more on the character than the plot itself. Readers worry about the characters hanging, not about the war and the chicanery used by both opponents. Bierce also uses a change in perspective throughout the story to show emphasis on the character and his thoughts. The change alters the reality in the readers minds, in a way they truly believe that he will survive the hanging and escape free to his family. Sadly, that wouldn’t have given readers the opportunity to classify it as realism and it wouldn’t have given Bierce the chance to show the readers the way our brains play tricks on us.
In the last three paragraphs of An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge told by a third person point of view, Farquhar is being hanged by the rope, and when the rope is undone, Farquhar escapes and sees the light of the river. The light in this particular story represents a warm bright light from heaven. On other hand on the complete opposite side, in The Tell Tale Heart the light (lantern) signifies fear of the eye. However the narrator reveals that Farquhar?s escape is a hallucination that lasts only from moment the rope breaks his neck at the end of the fall.
We all have faced challenges that make our lives succeeding difficult, but the way we approach these challenges is what affect us in the long run. In “Annabelle Lee”, by Edgar Allan Poe, “Oranges” by Gary Soto, and “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost they all feature speakers that deal with hardships that they must overcome. The three poets use literary devices to show how they deal with theses challenges along with the struggles that come with it. In “ Annabelle Lee” Poe uses diction to show how the speaker deals with the death of his bride.
The short story starts by creating curiosity with the revelation that a man will be hung in the owl creek bridge. At that moment the reader does not know the reasons for which the man will be sentenced. In the second section, the name of the man who will be hanged is mentioned, the motives for his crime and how he was captured. The final section illustrates the struggle Peyton Farquhar was facing and the events that went through your mind at that moment. He imagined/dream that he escape and peaceful return to their home. But the reality is another and his life ends in darkness and silence. (Bierce 201-209)
"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" is a story of illusion, decision, and fate. It presents one with a very powerful scenario - one that questions the protagonist 's ultimate destiny, and the concept of good vs. evil. It defines the grey area of deeds by which most humans live, and uses powerful thematic concepts and devices to convey the author 's own value while leaving some space for the reader to make their own choice. Furthermore, this story discusses the life of a man who ended up on the wrong side of history, humanizing yet criminalizing him for his beliefs. This can all be attributed to a wide array of symbols and interactions- all which support the theme of illusion vs. reality. The complex thematic value of this piece stems from multiple aspects – the most important of which are the bridge through both its literal and symbolic meaning, the colour grey in all its depth and broad variations, the essence of time in all of its distortion, and the story 's style of writing.
“An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” shows to be an interesting, dramatic breath taking story with a hopeful main character who was determined to not live in the moment of his current situation. Bierce did a great job of turning Peyton Farquhar’s illusions into reality for the reader’s. Peyton’s illusions came from the fact that he could not face his reality of his death and this was the only way he could cope with it, his psychological succeeds at everything his physical could not. Throughout the entire story, it is nearly impossible to draw the line between what is real and what is being made up by Peyton, the reader is totally submerged into his illusions, deeming them as reality.
The use of literary devices has proven to be the key to a successful short story. An author's use of these devices makes or breaks the story for a reader. He must successfully define such things as the character, theme and setting to put the reader into their mind frame to fully understand and feel the story. In this week's readings, we are shown the authors' use of literary devices with serious ironies to show human condition and the nature of humanity. Such stories as "The Black Man and White Woman in Dark Green Rowboat," "The Rocking-Horse Winner," and "Gilded Six Bits" shine light on the essence of the human condition and the nature of humanity. While, Ellison's "Battle Royal", and Baldwin's "Sonny's Blues" define irony and draw the reader into sympathy and disbelief. Although telling powerful stories can sometimes be as easy as conveying the information, subtly introducing ironies, using correct symbolisms, and even using the right point of view, is what enhances and expands the author's vision.
...ony, and narration. Without these exceptional parts the theme would not have as much meaning and depth in its perception to the reader. The symbols show to the reader that there is a hidden message to what is going to happen in the end and hints to the theme of the story but is purposely ignored. Irony brings attention to the conscious or thoughts during the story and the unlikelihood of actually dying at the end shows how strong our minds are. Narration is brought to show the theme of his expected death and a diversion from the reality of the readers thoughts. The story is saturated with literary elements that help prove the theme of “An Occurrence of Owl Creek Bridge”.
He illustrates the agony of thinking and the burden it places on him. Through his self-reflection, Douglass explains the pain and discomfort his expanding knowledge bears upon him, a young boy exploring his present world to discover that maybe ignorance really is bliss. Through the use of several literary devices such as specified diction, irony, and parallelism, the speaker relays a desperate tone throughout this section of his narrative elaborating on the torment
Ambrose Bierce, the author of a short story titled, "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge". The southern plantation owner Peyton Farquhar, searches for hope deep within the realization of his soon to be last breath. Observing his surroundings, standing upon on that Northern Alabama bridge he was there to destroy. Only moments before was he then was captured for trespassing. He is now caught standing upon a plank held down by the soldiers weight. Waiting for the exact moment to step off the board, he closed his eyes envisioning his wife and children that one last time. Peyton then fell through the bridge, only to awaken at the bottom of the stream. I believe that hope gave him the strength to awake after the fall. No longer unconscious from the rope around his neck, the beaming light far in a distance caught his eye.
It has been proven evident throughout the history of literature that authors will tend to incorporate their own lives into their works. This is the case in Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. Although the novel is in itself fictional, Brontë invites readers into her private life by the way in which she writes her novel. Literary elements are often taken into consideration when determining the value of a literary work. However, they offer more than just layers of complexity to a work. Brontë uses countless metaphors to portray relevance to her own life. The ongoing comparison between the characters in Wuthering Heights and Brontë’s own life only exemplifies how often authors use their works to reflect their lives.