An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

281 Words2 Pages
Peyton Farquhar, the main character of the story, becomes tricked into breaking a territorial rule during the civil war and will be hung for it. After the trickery and before his death the reader has difficulty distinguishing reality versus fantasy. This seen when Peyton, in the seemingly vast amount of time before death, experiences many flashbacks and we get lost for a little while in actually believing that he actually had escaped. It is until the author clues us back to reality when we realize that what had just happened was actually Peyton getting lost in the fantasy of his escape and forgetting that and that he was still going to be hung. In “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” Ambrose Bierce uses an unconventional plot structure in order to emphasize how the reflection of one’s life becomes the prominent thought in their moments before death. “Bierce concludes each of the stories three sections with a flat realistic statement to undercut Farquhar’s preceding fantasies or romantic illusions” (Cheathem 172). It is shown in this quote that because the reader gets so lost between distinguishing reality versus fantasy, the author uses a style of writing relating to leaving a trail. Someone leaving a trail would make clear that this is where you are and where you should go. Bierce does this in the story when Peyton is lost in fantasy and the reader can’t distinguish what exactly is going on and needs something to grasp onto in order to understand again. The unconventional plot structure conveyed throughout this story helps to support my thesis in that time and thought can become irrational, confusing and saddening in ones moments prior to
Open Document