Peyton Farquarh Character Analysis

There are many similarities and differences between Frederick Douglass and Peyton Farquarh, but one of them specifically is that they are both being held captive against their will, and being threatened with death. Frederick Douglass is held captive by the slave owner, Mr. Covey, and Peyton Farquarh is held captive by the Union Army for execution. A particular thing in Douglas's narrative that points to this is when he says, “I should live with but to die with him; that Covey would surely kill me; he was in a fair way for it.” The way this is shown in An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge when the narrator says “The man who was engaged in being hanged was apparently about thirty-five years of age.” Both of these characters are going through a similar situation, involving death.

Although there are multiple examples of how these two characters are the same, there are very clear differences as well. One of the

more obvious ones is that Frederick Douglass is a African-American slave, and Peyton Farquarh is a caucasian planter, and helper of the Confederate Army. You know that Douglass is an African-American slave because the story we read was specifically a slave narrative and he refers to Mr. Covey as a white man which implies that he is not white, because if he was he would've referred to him as just a man. You know that Farquarh is a white planter, and a helper to the confederate army, because for one he wouldn't be helping the Confederate army if he was African-American, and we know he helps them because the narrator reveals that “No service was too humble for him to perform in aid of the South, no adventure too perilous for him to undertake…”. The narrator also reveals that Farquarh is a slave owner. It’s incredible that characters who seem to be complete opposites, have a large amount in common.
Another way that these two characters are very similar is that they both dream of escaping and freedom.

Frederick Douglass dreams of escaping the life of slavery he is held captive in and he not only dreams about freedom for himself, but also the freedom of all the slaves. Douglass specifically says in his narrative that, “This battle with Mr. Covey was the turning point in my career as a slave. It rekindled the few expiring embers of freedom, and revived within me a sense of my own manhood.” Farquarh dreams of escaping his hanging and freedom from the Federal army. The narrator shares with us these thoughts that Farquarh had, “If I could free my hands,” he thought, “I might throw off the noose and spring into the stream. By diving I could evade the bullets and, swimming vigorously, reach the bank, take to the woods, and get away home. My home, thank God, is as yet outside their lines; my wife and little ones are still beyond the invader’s farthest advance.” Peyton Farquarh is seen here planning his escape, and hoping for his freedom to be back with his

family.