silhouette of a man half submerged in water wiht a noose around his neck

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

by Ambrose Bierce

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An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" by Ambrose Bierce concludes with the surprising twist that Peyton Farquhar, who dreams of escaping his execution, is in fact dead, having been hanged by Union...

8 educator answers

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" by Ambrose Bierce is structured into three sections, each serving a unique narrative purpose. The first section uses an omniscient point of view to describe Peyton...

4 educator answers

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

In Ambrose Bierce's "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge," the plot and structure are crucial to its impact. The story is divided into three parts, with Part 2 providing a flashback that explains...

8 educator answers

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" by Ambrose Bierce blends realism with imagination by using varying narrative perspectives. The story's structure moves between real events, such as Peyton...

4 educator answers

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

In Ambrose Bierce's "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge," Peyton Farquhar, a Southern planter, imagines escaping execution by falling into the creek, evading soldiers, and reaching his home. This...

5 educator answers

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

In "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge," sections narrated by an outsider include Farquhar's thoughts through an omniscient third-person perspective. The first section transitions from objective...

1 educator answer

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

The phrase describes the sensations Peyton Farquhar experiences during his hanging. It metaphorically captures his feeling of being surrounded by a "luminous cloud," indicating a lack of oxygen and...

1 educator answer

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

Bierce creates suspense in "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" through his deliberate decisions in narrative structure and pacing. By revealing the protagonist's fate in a non-linear fashion and...

3 educator answers

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

Readers first suspect the escape is a hallucination in "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" during Part III when the narrative style shifts to a surreal, stream-of-consciousness format. This change...

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An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

Readers are meant to sympathize with the protagonist, Peyton Farquhar, in "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" because he is depicted as a lone, helpless man thinking of his family before his...

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An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

Ambrose Bierce uses time manipulation and stream-of-consciousness in "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" to build drama and deliver an unexpected ending. By blending real-time events with the...

2 educator answers

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

Farquhar's distorted perceptions in "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" are evident when he imagines the natural environment with exaggerated beauty and order. As he escapes into the water, he...

2 educator answers

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

Peyton Farquhar imagines being in the water during his execution, experiencing heightened senses and a vivid sense of being alive. He perceives every detail around him—quivering leaves, buzzing...

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An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

The quote about the man about to be hanged in "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" reveals Peyton Farquhar's determination and hope despite his dire situation. He envisions escaping, reaching his...

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An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

In Part 3 of "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge," hints suggest Farquhar's journey is imagined. His experiences are too perfect and coincidental, such as the rope seemingly breaking, the swirling...

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An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

The time that elapses between the opening and closing lines of Part 3 is only a few seconds. The narrative begins with Peyton Farquhar's fall through the bridge and ends with his neck snapping from...

3 educator answers

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

Evidence suggesting Farquhar's escape is imaginary includes several hints: In section 1, it is stated he is doomed, contradicting his imagined escape. In part 3, his experience mirrors a hanging,...

1 educator answer

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

The man on the bridge is Peyton Farquhar, an unnamed civilian in Part I, later revealed as a wealthy slave owner and Secessionist in Part II. He stands on a railroad bridge in Alabama, hands tied and...

1 educator answer