An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge Research Paper

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Realism: An Escape from Reality or Fantasy
Realism is perceived in many different ways. Realism is defined as “the attitude or practice of accepting a situation as it is and being prepared to deal with it accordingly.” (www.wsu.edu). Reality is known to destroy an illusion.” In The literal take on realism is defined as “the faithful representation of reality” or verisimilitude.”(public.wsu.edu/Campbell). There have been people who can be afraid to accept their reality, so they will think of a fantasy to create to escape their current life or situation. Fantasy is defined as “imagination, especially when extravagant and unrestrained.” (www.wsu.edu). Depending on what situation someone is experiencing at the time, can determine the mindset of what their reality or fantasy can be. There are two …show more content…

The theme of this short story is based on time and reality. After committing a crime and being caught, Farquhar is being punished with death by hanging. Farquhar’s reality in his mind is that he has somehow escaped from the noose around his neck and has fallen into the river to escape death and the soldiers. Even though he is dead within minutes, his fantasy is to escape and return home to his family. Once Farquhar is about to reach out and clasp his wife’s face does the reader accept the reality of the story that, Farquhar was dead and has been since the being 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.” (Pg 151). This story draws you into Farquhar’s fantasy of wanting to live and return home but, the reality of it is that will never be able to due to his death. Bierce draws the reader into his fantasy of this story because as the reader you want Farquhar to make it home to his family, even though he has done something

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