An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge Part 2 Essay

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An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce takes place on Owl Creek Bridge during the civil war in the “summer of 1862.” The story is split into three sections and begins with a suspenseful opening in which the main character, Peyton Farquhar, is awaiting his execution. No explanation is provided as to why Farquhar is being hung which leads to an emphasis on the scene rather than an emphasis on the main character. Based upon the main character’s clothing, the reader identifies the main character as a plantation owner and understands that he is being executed by Federal (Union) soldiers for violating military law. The theme of ambiguity of illusion and fantasy are reoccurring themes throughout the book. Part 2 immediately opens up with Farquhar’s flashback to an event that occurred leading up to the execution of Farquhar. We learn that although he is not in the army although supports the Confederate side. Bierce takes the reader back to the time a man dressed as a …show more content…

After successfully doing so, he swims towards the shore while the Union soldier fires at him. Farquhar rushes home in happiness and travels through a forest. Bierce uses very descriptive language to describe the scene to make the reader feel like they are there with Farquhar. The landscape of the forest is creepy and “seemed interminable” (Bierce) which, gives the reader the sense that something is not right about his journey back to home. Just as he reaches home and sees his wife, the tone of the story shifts from fantasy and hopefulness to absolute astonishment and horror as the cruel reality returns. Farquhar suddenly receives a powerful blow to his neck and his dead body hangs beneath the Owl Creek Bridge. Bierce is very descriptive of each scene, which makes it unclear if the scene were just an illusion. The reader become very immersed in the scene since it is not made clear if it is an

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