In the first section, the author uses dramatic narration: the story is told by no one. With the disappearance of the narrator, the reader is now the direct and immediate witness to the unfolding drama. The reader views the work from the outside. In the beginning of this story the readers are informed of all the preparations for a man about to be hanged: the set up for the hanging, the characters involved and the surroundings. The narrator gives an incredible and beautiful snapshot of the scene describing the water, the guards, and his restraints. "...Vertical in front of the left shoulder, the hammer rested on the forearm thrown strait across the chest- a formal and unnatural position" (Bierce pg. 90, line 10). This type of narration is the least personal and the reader receives the least information on the character's thoughts and feelings. Although the author describes details, the reader has to fill the blanks as to what actions and events lead up to the situation. The reason for this type of narration in the first section of the story is to get the readers curiosity going. One wonders what Peyton Farquhar could have done to be hanged; was he alone in what he did, why is he involved in a military issue when he is a civilian?
In paragraph six and seven and through the second section, the author changes his point of view to one which is third person omniscient: all knowing. The omniscient narrator is not a character in the story and is not involved with what happens. He imposes his presence between the reader and the story and controls all the events. From an outside point of view, the narrator provides enough information to summarize, interpret and wonder. As the story evolves, the reader begins to read thoughts of the characters: Farquhar, his wife and the soldiers. The reader becomes involved in Farquhar's life as the narrator summarizes his situation. The reader is told of him being a planter and owning slaves, that he is a secessionist and devoted to the Southern cause. Nevertheless, the narrator leads the reader to believe Farquhar and his wife are kind people, she fetched the water for the soldier to drink with her "own white hands" (Bierce pg.92, line 15) instead of ordering one on her colored slaves to do it. Farquhar's principles and devotion towards the south is explained in this section and the reader gets to know who he really is. This makes the reader feel sympathetic towards him and his wife. The purpose of the omniscient narrator in the 2nd section is to give information of the characters and to get a glimpse into Farquhars life. The reader finds out how devoted his wife is to her husband. The reader can now relate to Farqhuar and understand how and why he got caught trying to destroy the bridge.
Section three is intended to create suspense. Bierce wants the reader to believe that what is being described actually happens. In order for the reader to believe that what is being described is actually happening, the story must be narrated from the characters point of view (limited omniscient point of view). With a limited omniscient point of view, the narrator limits his or her ability to penetrate the mind of a single character. The reader may be shown the character's voice, feelings and thoughts through dialogue, monologue or stream of consciousness. As a result, the reader becomes more and more directly involved in interpreting the story. By using this point of view all of what Farquhar is experiencing seems so real. The advantages of the limited omniscient point of view are the tightness of focus and control that it provides. If the third section was told in an omniscient point of view, the author would have not been able to fool the reader, for he would have "seen" what was really happening. Seeing the whole action and knowing the soldiers thoughts would have given away the ending.
"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" was written in three different sections, with each having a different narrative form. The first, using dramatic point of view, describes where the action takes place. The second, omniscient point of view lets the reader comprehend the victim's thoughts and actions. And finally, the third section, limited omniscient point of view creates suspense by being only in one mind. With the ability to switch from one form to another, Bierce was able to create a tale of intrigue, captivation and a twist-ending.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
When it comes to choosing whether or not to read the text along with the film, most would recommend reading the story first for “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”. While the film had a mostly accurate portrayal of the story, one would need to read the text for the entire account. Although, the main character was believable as he made the reader or viewer sympathetic towards him. With flashbacks to his family, one could almost be empathetic with thoughts of losing someone. The use of camera angles was very effective. During the grand escape, they shot a majority of the shots at a high angle to show how helpless he was, at the mercy of the river. At times, the music could be a bit distraction. For example, when he first escaped, they played the song “Livin’ Man” and it was a bit strange. But at other times, the music helped to add intensity or emotion to the scenes when words could not.…
- 541 Words
- 3 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
The numerous examples of imagery throughout the essay portray how inhumane, cruel and barbaric electrocutions are. The author then portrays the scene of Mr.Holton’s execution as an observer, he states “With the push of a button on a console labeled Electric Chair Control, 1750 volts bolt through Mr.Holton’s body, jerking it up and dropping it like a sack of earth.” ( 68) The three imagery phrases here “ jerking it up “, “ dropping it”, and “ a sack of earth” invoke the readers for the cruelty of Mr.Holton’s death. Moreover, in the up coming paragraph the author talks about the second bolt of electrocution which enhances the cruelty of the execution by describing“ Fifteen seconds later, another bolt, and Mr.Holton’s body rises even higher, slumps even lower. His reddened hands remain gripped to the arms of the chair, whose oaken pieces are said to have once belonged to the old electric chair, and before that, to the gallows “(68). The “reddened hands” and “ gripped” are the two powerful phrases that reflect Mr.Holton’s great desire to survive before his death; The author also uses contrary words such as “ rises” versus“ slumps”, “higher” versus “ lower” in order to deeply engrave Mr. Holton’s death scene in reader’s…
- 624 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
Do you like surprise endings? “An Occurrence at Owl Creek”, by Ambrose Bierce supplies a startling one. Set in Alabama during the Civil War, Peyton Farquar, a well-to-do, slave owning plantation owner “who was at heart a soldier,” was kept out of the military service for reasons left vague. A Union scout,dressed as a Rebel, stops at his house and suggests burning a near by bridge now in Union hands. Set up, Farquar is caught and ordered to be hanged, during which the rope breaks and he makes good his escape. Upon reaching his home, thirty miles away, his reunion with his wife is cut short by the revelation that the escape was in his mind, he is actually hung! By using the literary elements point of view, setting, and symbolism, the author makes good his surprise.…
- 594 Words
- 3 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
In Ambrose Bierce’s short story “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”, a confederate supporting man named Peyton Farquhar is being sentenced to hang by the Union Army. This is because of Farquhar’s attempt to demolish a very important bridge to the Union. Several situations which Bierce creates, exhibit the element of foreshadowing. A dream consisting of Farquhar escaping his execution occupies all of part three. Most of the foreshadowing methods reveal themselves by attempting to suggest to us that the dream which Farquhar is having is untrue.…
- 426 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" is about this southern planter Peyton Farquhar being hanged by the Union Army during the Civil War for trying to burn down Owl Creek Bridge. Ambrose Bierce depicted the entire story as if the rope around Farquhar's neck breaks and that leads to Farquhar falling into the river below, and then escaping back to his farm; where he reunited with his wife. Then at the end of the story, Bierce revealed to the readers that all the events were simply Farquhar's imagination at work in the few seconds between the drop of his rope and his death. In summary, he died and the rope did not break which allowed him to swim down the river.…
- 271 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
The title, "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" is an extremely interesting title making you want to read the story. The word "Occurrence" in the titlet made me want to find out what the "Occurrence" was. The title made me start thinking about what the story really could be about.…
- 451 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
Death to the traitors! Bierce uses foreshadowing to create a shock effect for the reader’s throughout the entire short story of “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”. Ambrose furthermore uses symbolism to foreshadow events in his story. He also uses imagery to indicate events that were occurring. Ambrose Bierce uses foreshadowing and other literal techniques to create a shock effect in his short story “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”.…
- 524 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
In "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, " Bierce focuses on detail and the dramatic revelation of Farquhar's dying thoughts as he desperate tries to escape the hangmen. This creates a suspenseful journey that seems to see him freed from his noose and carried almost home to the loving arms of his wife. "As these thoughts, which have here to be set down in words, were flashed into the doomed man's brain rather than evolved…
- 1160 Words
- 3 Pages
Better Essays -
Hangings are not fun, but in the short story An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge we get to look in the mind of a man named Peyton Fahrquar who suffers this gruesome fate. Along with that, Ambrose Bierce used many literacy techniques such as irony, foreshadowing, and shock affect to help the reader visualize what was going through his mind during this terrible event.…
- 616 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
To make the text of both accounts more engaging to the reader, the writer introduced numerous literary techniques. The passages are written mostly in the first person with emotive word choice and a company of a rather sad tone. These make the accounts personal and emotional and brings up emphasis of the audience to the subject of Joe's despair. The writer uses many alliterations e.g. "I hang, head","Everything was still, silent", which altogether with an application of sibilance during the first paragraph draw the audience attention to a particular part of the text that should be emphasised stronger. The presence of repetition such as "My leg!...My leg!" brings up an attention to the word connected to the subject of the story. Also, often usage…
- 241 Words
- 1 Page
Good Essays -
Being faced with death is a tragic event that will make most people recall and reflect on what is most essential in one's life. Symbolism, in this story, was used to create a sense of foreshadowing and suspense. Ambrose Bierce, the novelist of this story, used numerous examples of literary techniques to generate a foreshadowing of a shock effect in the account of "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge." One of the main techniques Bierce used was symbolism. He also used irony, allusion, imagery, and realism. Together, these built a foreshadowing/shock effect-literary technique.…
- 396 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
The author uses few details to describe the narrator and does not explain the reason the narrator is being hung, to create a feeling of suspense in “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.” For example, Bierce states, “Evidently this was no vulgar assassin. The liberal military code makes provision for hanging many kinds of persons, and gentlemen are not excluded.” (Page 2) This quote demonstrates the lack of detail the author used to describe the narrator in the beginning of the story, which helps create and suspenseful mood throughout the text. By not including many descriptive details, the reader is clueless as to why Farquhar is being hung making him a sympathetic character, who is awaiting an undeserved fate. This helps to create suspense because…
- 296 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
Upon reading "An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge" by Ambrouse Bierce I immediately found myself pulled into this story from sentence one. The story is both vivid and simplistically complex. Bierce's telling of this story read like so many movies I've seen in the past. We've all seen these movies. The movie starts in the present or what we preceive to be the present and then like a sling shot catapults us back in time to account for what we've just seen. The story flowed seemlessly through time without leaving me feeling at any point confused about where or when I was. The use of time in this story was used to perfection. It starts in the present takes you back to the past and at certain parts in the story time seems to stand still. While reading this story I often at times felt as if I myself were Peyton Farquhar and that the noose was around my neck. At the begginning of this story one could come to the conclusion that Farquhar was a captured enemy soldier about to be hung for his crimes but as the story evolves we can see that he is something more complex. He's a man of substance and privilege with an insatiable love for his country and way of life. Peyton Farquhar grew up as a rich southerner. He had everything that a man could want at that point in time: a wife, children, land and slaves. For reasons unexplained in the story he was unable to take up arms and fight for his beloved country. Although he had all that a man in his time could want he felt unfulfilled. An evening of relaxation with his wife on the front porch as fate would have it would yield him a chance to take part in the fight and gain some sense of redemption. As they sat they were approached by a Federal scout and was told of events on Owl Creek Bridge. He saw that him destroying the bridge would give him a chance to make his mark in the war. This is why he was willing to do anything as "no service was too humble to him to perform in aid of the south, no…
- 1290 Words
- 6 Pages
Powerful Essays -
Throughout the story, we are able to see of different of a world Ambrose Bierce lived in compared to the one that we know. This is the first part of the story that noticed, because in today's world, no man would ever be hung, let alone executed for tampering with a bridge.…
- 734 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
In the extract from page 5 – 8, the three main characters involved are Eddie, his niece, Catherine, and his wife Beatrice. The main action has Eddie having a conversation with Catherine and informing Beatrice, about the arrival of her cousins from Italy. In total, Eddie makes 20 speeches in total while Catherine makes 19 and Beatrice makes 3. Beatrice only appears at the end of the extract. She enters the room from the kitchen where she was most likely to be doing chores, as she was seen wiping her hands with a towel. The focus on Eddie is evidence that he is an important character and that is the one that has most interactions with the other characters.…
- 1021 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays