an occurrence at owl creek bridge
DESCRIPTION
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge. Written by Ambrose Bierce. Ambrose Bierce. Ohio Indiana Attended military academy – Kentucky Enlisted in Union Army Fought in several imp battles in Civil War; wounded. Bierce as a Writer. Journalist in San Francisco - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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An Occurrence at Owl Creek BridgeWritten by Ambrose Bierce
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Ambrose Bierce
OhioIndianaAttended military
academy – Kentucky
Enlisted in Union Army
Fought in several imp battles in Civil War; wounded
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Bierce as a Writer
Journalist in San FranciscoWrote biting political and social satire“Bitter Bierce”“Wickedest man in San Francisco,” yet
charmed manyWrote short stories set in Civil WarCruelty of war; pessimism; contempt of
humanity
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“An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”
Realism Setting –
Alabama (Civil War)
Structure – Divided into 3 sections
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OverviewPayton Farquhar
is about to be hanged by Union soldiers, we learn:
Who he isHow he got
thereHis fate-
imagined and real
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Three Sections - Part I Third person point of view; an
objective account of the setting with a realistic description of details
Description of character35 yrs oldPlanter; wore well-fitting frock
Brief insight into thoughts of the character before the hanging
Time slows down; senses become more acute
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Part II – Background
Farquhar “longs for the release of his energies;” has a desire for “the larger life of a soldier” and “the opportunity for distinction”
The deception by the “gray-clad soldier”The motivation for the destruction of the
bridgeThird person POV
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Part III
Picks up where Part I left offLimited third person POVInsight as to what happens at
death Details Farquhar’s thoughts
and feelings
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Peyton’s Initial Experience
PainSense of suffocationInitial loss of thought; only had
feelingPulsating fireRoaring in his earsFiery heart of a luminous cloudLight (brightness)
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Thought is restored:Rises towards surface of water“I do not wish to be shot… that is
not fair.”Frees his hands; tears away the
nooseDire pain in his neckHead emerges from water; blinded
by sunlight
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Senses are intensified:Saw individual trees, leaves,
veins, insects on them“prismatic colors in dewdrops
upon the million blades of grass”Humming of gnats; beating of
dragonflies’ wings; fish swimmingSounds made “audible music”
Sees soldiers “forms gigantic”
Hears shots; guns and cannon
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Other sensations:Feels himself “spinning like a top”Flung up on gravel bank of streamSand looks like “diamonds, rubies,
emeralds”Wind made music of “aeolian
harps”Content; whiz of grapeshot
arouses him from dream
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Peyton’s “Escape”Travels all day, footsore, through
the forestThought of wife and children urge
him onRoad- untraveled; stars-
unfamiliar grouped strangely (“malign significance”)
Hears whispers in an unknown tongue
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Peyton’s Feelings
Neck is swollen and hurtsEyes and tongue swollenCan no longer feel roadway
beneath his feetDreaming? Recovering from
delirium?
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Final Scene• Home -
beautiful sunlight
• Wife – cool & sweet; smiles with joy
• Reaches for her• Blow on neck;
blinding white light; sound of cannon-darkness & silence-death
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ThemesDreams and reality
Romantic view of war vs. brutality and violence
Escape vs. deathBrutality of warDeception
Union soldier posing as ConfederateFarquhar – thinks he can escape
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SatireFarquhar himself is the
subject“All is fair in love and war”
and sees war as “opportunity for distinction”
Sees burning bridge as opportunity for glory death
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Irony
You are led to believe that Farquhar will become involved in a covert or secret operation to destroy the bridge.
What actually occurs is that Farquhar himself is tricked is tricked by a Union soldier.