An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge Essay Example 3
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge
In the story, “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”, it shows us the difference between romanticism and realism. It actually bashes romanticism. It tells us how romanticism is not related to life. Realism showed us that life wasn’t all fun and games and imaginative. It showed us that there is never a happy ending and that life always ends with someone dying.
Peyton Farquhar, the man who was a spy for the Union, had to join the Confederates during the Civil War. He is the symbol of romanticism in the story. He imagines that he is free and that he is going to be a hero by blowing up the bridge that crosses into southern territory. What he does not realize is that the soldier that told him to blow up the bridge was actually a Union soldier spying on the Confederates. Peyton soon thinks that he is going to be the hero for his side. Realism then takes place when Peyton gets caught by the Union soldiers and is hung. Romanticism then kicks in when he escapes the hanging. He thinks he is with his wife. It says, “My home, thank God, is as yet outside their lines…”
When Peyton gets to his wife in his imagination, he is struck on the back of his head and then dies on the spot. This is basically realism bashing romanticism on the back of its skull. Had Peyton planned out his so called “mission”, he could possibly save his own life. Instead, the story says, , “As he is about to clasp her (his wife), he feels a stunning blow upon the back of the neck”. Peyton only looked at the success of his mission, instead of the reality of what could happen. He did not prepare himself for the negatives of life. He wanted to live life like a fantasy that had a happy ending, but obviously it did not end well.
What this story tells, is how life should be. It should not end in a fairytale ending where the good guy always wins. It should end with death. Romanticism is for the readers that love to see a happy ending, but realism is for the readers that like
In the story, “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”, it shows us the difference between romanticism and realism. It actually bashes romanticism. It tells us how romanticism is not related to life. Realism showed us that life wasn’t all fun and games and imaginative. It showed us that there is never a happy ending and that life always ends with someone dying.
Peyton Farquhar, the man who was a spy for the Union, had to join the Confederates during the Civil War. He is the symbol of romanticism in the story. He imagines that he is free and that he is going to be a hero by blowing up the bridge that crosses into southern territory. What he does not realize is that the soldier that told him to blow up the bridge was actually a Union soldier spying on the Confederates. Peyton soon thinks that he is going to be the hero for his side. Realism then takes place when Peyton gets caught by the Union soldiers and is hung. Romanticism then kicks in when he escapes the hanging. He thinks he is with his wife. It says, “My home, thank God, is as yet outside their lines…”
When Peyton gets to his wife in his imagination, he is struck on the back of his head and then dies on the spot. This is basically realism bashing romanticism on the back of its skull. Had Peyton planned out his so called “mission”, he could possibly save his own life. Instead, the story says, , “As he is about to clasp her (his wife), he feels a stunning blow upon the back of the neck”. Peyton only looked at the success of his mission, instead of the reality of what could happen. He did not prepare himself for the negatives of life. He wanted to live life like a fantasy that had a happy ending, but obviously it did not end well.
What this story tells, is how life should be. It should not end in a fairytale ending where the good guy always wins. It should end with death. Romanticism is for the readers that love to see a happy ending, but realism is for the readers that like