Imagination In Ambrose Bierce's Owl Creek

An occurrence at Owl Creek by Ambrose Bierce shows why the imagination required to vividly daydream is critical in making it through impossible times. Having an imagination may seem childish at first thought, however when faced with incredible obstacles or situations having an imagination is needed. The majority of the human race of course has an imagination; it is the levels and capability of said imagination that differs among us. the only people who are known to have limited to no imagination at all are those who have low levels of openness to experience on the five-factor personality scale of psychology. An analytical and pragmatic mind looks at the situation and sees it as it presents itself, thus staying in the moment. It is the day-dreamers who are able to escape the situation at hand and go

elsewhere in order for time to pass. There is saying, "there are dreams and there are realists in this world. You'd think the dreamers would find the dreamers and the realists to find the realists, but more often than not the opposite is true. You see, The Dreamers need the realists to keep them from soaring too close to the Sun. And the realists, well without the dreamers, they might not ever get off the ground." Realists and dreamers are both needed for one another to exist.

However, in order for a difficult circumstance to be dealt with, a combination of the two are required. Realists who can dream and dreamers who can be real are ideal in order to overcome terrible obstacles even if those obstacles result in your death. An occurrence at Owl Creek told in an objective third person narration. This story was also told in a nonlinear narrative, thus showing in literary form how an imagination works by jumping around from place to place and time to time. Throughout the story, Ambrose Bierce calls attention to a Farquhar's heightened senses and abilities. This was his way of spoiling the outcome of the story by hinting to the fact that Farquhar's escape was in fact an illusion . Irony is running rampant within this extraordinary work of literary art. A Dramatic example of irony is the fact that Farquhar says that he is a student of hanging and yet he's the one being hanged, "suppose a man -- a civilian and student of hanging -- should elude the picket post and perhaps get the better of the

sentinel." Another example of the irony within the story is situational; in the exact second from the fall until the Rope constricts around his neck and breaks it, he imagines an extraordinary escape. This amazing short story told through pen is set during the time of the Civil War. It is about a man named Peyton Farquhar, known to many to be a secret supporter or sympathizer of the Confederate Army. His fate has been decided for him in the way of immediate death by hanging off the bridge of Owl Creek. Bierce, through his unique technique of writing shows readers that it is the capability of imagination in general that gave Peyton guidance for dealing with the "struggle for life." Imaginations are critical for overcoming one's obstacles in dire situations. Farquhar does this by using his imagination dream world out of pure and utter desperation and despair although he understands that death is inevitable. During the dream he concocts and executes an escape technique in order to regain the control of his life. This shows the readers of the story that even if a man is on the verge of death he has the ability to escape and experience an extremely realistic world which is of his own creation thus not experiencing death. Having control of your mind to the point to which you make yourself astral project to another world, another moment, and a separate life really gives hope to those who read this story. They are given the hope that they too can escape their own death as Peyton Farquhar has his.