An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge Essay Example

resembling a blacksmith's hammer on an anvil, albeit as slow as a funeral bell tolling. In his perception, these intervals intensify to the point of madness, becoming more painful and powerful. However, the actual source of this noise is the ticking of his watch.

This passage provides insight into the theme of deception within the human mind, particularly within Peyton Farquar's mind. Peyton attempts to convey the importance of the primal instinct of survival by expressing his desire to escape the soldier and evade gunfire from the military. Bierce employs various narrative techniques throughout the story to establish different moods.

The first part of the story is dedicated to the narrator's experiences and thoughts on war, providing insights about its nature. However, the narrative then shifts back to the beginning, using flashback techniques to introduce Peyton Farquar and explain how he ended up in his current situation. Bierce eventually returns to where he left off earlier in the story, describing the events that occurred after Peyton Farquar's hanging. This narrative technique is employed to deceive the reader into believing that Peyton Farquar survived, when in reality, he did not.

In the third part, Bierce employs various types of language to depict the immense pain experienced by Peyton Farquar during the hanging. He employs metaphors to illustrate the intensity of the pain, describing it as a sharp pressure on his throat and as keen poignant agonies. Additionally, he utilizes similes to further convey the pain, likening it to streams of pulsating fire that rapidly spread throughout his body. The term "flash" implies a sudden and lightning-fast throbbing sensation. Furthermore, the author depicts Farquar's brain as being on fire and

his entire body as engulfed in an unbearable temperature of agony.

Bierce deceives the reader with the statement "The power of thought was restored, he knew that the rope had broken," even though it hadn't. He then characterizes it as a rebirth, when it is actually a dream, but suddenly experiences a sharp pain. Bierce employs sensory language to engage the senses; Peyton Farquhar seemingly acquires extraordinary vision and hearing, observing the specific details of individual trees and their leaf veins, as well as hearing the humming of gnats swirling above the stream's swirls.

The last four paragraphs of the passage display a shift in mood towards the grotesque and horrifying, although it is still within the realm of a dream. However, Bierce reveals to the reader that he has actually died, stating that despite his suffering, he fell asleep while walking. Now, he experiences another scene, suggesting that he may have recovered from his delirium. He finds himself standing at the gate of his own home, which remains unchanged and is illuminated by the morning sunshine. It seems that he must have traveled throughout the entire night. As he opens the gate and walks along the wide white path, everything remains bright and beautiful.

All the mentions of white and brightness indicate that he is now in heaven. He sees his wife and prepares to embrace her, but suddenly a blinding white light surrounds him. Then, there is a loud sound like a cannon, and everything goes dark and silent. He is dead, his neck broken, hanging from the timbers of the old Creek Bridge. This entire experience was actually just a vivid daydream meant to shock

the reader. They were meant to feel relieved that he had escaped and was free, but in reality, he did not.