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An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge Essay

Reread the story “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.” Think carefully about the following questions. They will help guide your reading and thinking about the story. Answer the questions in a thoughtful manner using complete sentences. 1.What is Peyton Farquhar’s occupation?

Farquhar is a Southern slave owner who adores and tries to help the Confederate Army. 2.Why is he not a soldier, officer, or part of the army? He is not a soldier, officer, or part of the army because of circumstances of which are unknown. 3.How much time actually elapses between the opening and closing lines of Part III? Only a few minutes pass by between the opening and closing lines of Part III. 4.Describe the setting at the opening of the story.

In the beginning of the story Farquhar is standing on a railroad above water with his hands bound with rope and a noose around his neck. There are two soldiers from the Northern Army, a sergeant, and a captain surrounds him. 5.Describe Peyton Farquhar’s last thoughts.

Farquhar’s last thoughts are about escaping the execution and hail of bullets and go visit his family and wife. His wife was the last thought in his mind before he died from the execution.

6.Identify and describe the sound that disturbs the thoughts going through his mind. The sound that Farquhar hears is the amplified sound of the metallic clink of his watch disturbs his thoughts. 7.In the flashback of the story’s second section, who visits Peyton Farquhar? A Northern soldier comes to visit Farquhar at his home.

8.What plan does Farquhar conceive as a result of this visit? The Northern soldier is in disguise as a Confederate and informs Farquhar that he could easily set fire to the driftwood by the bridge. Farquhar accepts this idea. 9.What does Farquhar imagine in the story’s last section?

Farquhar imagines that he walks back home and admire the landscape and is eager to return home. His wife comes to meet him but then a white light and silence engulf him with his death. 10.Ironically, what is his real fate?

His real fate is death, but he imagines life while death proceeds him. 11.Summarize what you think this story reveals about the psychology of a person in a life or death situation. I think that in a life or death situation a person thinks about who they love and really embrace it. They think about the good and long so bad for life. 12.How does Bierce prepare us for the final outcome of the story? Bierce prepares the audience for the end of the story by setting up the beginning to be reality and then has flashbacks through out to reveal the irony in the end.

13.Do you think the writer tries to enlist your sympathies toward either the Union or Confederate side? Or, does the story seem more focused on a more general theme about the nature of war? Cite details from the story to support your answer. I think that the writer tries to earn your sympathy for the Confederates by describing how the Union posed as a Confederate to trick Farquhar which ultimately leads to his death. Also the writer tries to make Farquhar out to be in a way innocent and patriotic for his country and his Southern Army. There are mostly negatives about the Union in this story which makes the Confederates out to be good.

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Courtney from Study Moose
