An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge Group

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maryjeanhill09
Student
High School - 11th Grade

Why was Peyton Farquhar hanged?

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Posted by maryjeanhill09 on Tuesday October 13, 2009 at 5:57 PM and tagged with an occurrence at owl creek bridge, farquhar, hanged.

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  1. bullgatortail
    bullgatortail Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    In the Ambrose Bierce short story "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge," the main character Peyton Farquar is about to be hanged from a railroad bridge in Alabama. But when he steps between the planks, the rope breaks and he tumbles into the river below. Or does he? We know that Farquar is a wealthy Alabama plantation owner who has attempted to set fire to the Owl Creek Bridge, but before he can do so, he is caught and tried as a spy. He is sentenced to be hanged, but it appears to the reader that Farquar has escaped and returned home to his family. Only in the last sentence of the story does the reader find that

    "Peyton Farquar was dead; his body, with a broken neck, swung gently from side to side beneath the timbers of the Owl Creek bridge."

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    Posted by bullgatortail on Tuesday October 13, 2009 at 7:02 PM