An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

There are three parts to this story. Part one describes the setting of the execution and up to when the plank is removed from beneath Farquhar’s feet. The second part of the story is about Farquar’s background and what act he committed in order to be hung. We find out in that section that the person who informed Farquar of the Union Army coming across the bride was actually a Union soldier trying to provoke Farquhar. The last section picks up where the first section left off, the execution.

I think the order in which Ambrose Bierce tells his story is very interesting. He does it in an order that could definitely confuse a reader. He begins with a man being hung, something that could quickly bring a reader in. The reader is then explained to that this man, Peyton Farquhar, has a miraculous escape and will come home to his family. At the very last lines of the short story the reader realizes they have been fooled this whole time and the escape was only imaginary seconds before his death. I think the order in which he choices to tell the story is very clever because the reader thinks one thing, but the truth is another. When the reader finally finds out what is going on they are shocked. It was an enjoyable story to read because I never knew what I would find out next.

During the short story where the imaginary escape begins the point of view also changes. I think this is really important and affects the way the reader relates to the short story. At first the story is told in third person and it is almost told from a point of view of someone at the hanging. Although you feel bad for Peyton Farquhar you do not get to build any relationship off of his feeling because you are only watching him. Then when the point of view changes the reader suddenly feels a connection with Farquhar. At one point Farquhar explains that he is in pain but keeps going because of the thought of his family, something we can all relate too. Towards the end of the story, because it was still in first person, I felt so happy for Fraquhar when he saw his wife in the window. I think the point of view changing only made the ending more shocking because we began to feel for Fraquhar and then split seconds later he is shot. The change in point of view also allows us to suddenly take part in his hallucinations.