Suspenseful Techniques of “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” Ambrose Bierce is widely known for his ability to establish suspense in his infamous short story “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”. In this literary work Bierce uses a variety of techniques that build up its suspense. These techniques catch the attention of the reader and keeps them intrigued. Bierce’s use of imagery, nonlinear plot, and point of view in “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” contribute to the suspense of the story. The imagery used in “ An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” enhances the suspense of the story. One exceptional example of imagery is, “ A man stood upon a bridge in Northern Alabama looking down into the water twenty feet below. The man's hands were
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This quote acts as an example of how point of view can add the suspense of the story, “And now he became conscious of a new disturbance. Striking through the thought of his dear ones was a sound which he could neither ignore nor understand, a sharp, distinct, metallic percussion like the stroke of a blacksmith's hammer upon the anvil; it had the same ringing quality. He wondered what it was, and whether immeasurably distant or near by--it seemed both. Its recurrence was regular, but as slow as the tolling of a death knell. He awaited each stroke with impatience and--he knew not why--apprehension. The intervals of silence grew progressively longer, the delays became maddening. With their greater infrequency the sounds increased in strength and sharpness. They hurt his ear like the thrust of a knife; he feared he would shriek. What he heard was the ticking of his watch.”(Bierce Pg 583). This view point allows the reader to know exactly what goes through the characters mind. This is especially meaningful in this story because of the fact that the main character is joyful when he “escapes” and is anxious to reach home, however we later find out that Peyton Farquhar was just imagining his escape, which was hinted by unobtrusive details. The point of view creates suspense because the imagination of the main character influences the emotion of the reader who is hoping he will
This quote acts as an example of how point of view can add the suspense of the story, “And now he became conscious of a new disturbance. Striking through the thought of his dear ones was a sound which he could neither ignore nor understand, a sharp, distinct, metallic percussion like the stroke of a blacksmith's hammer upon the anvil; it had the same ringing quality. He wondered what it was, and whether immeasurably distant or near by--it seemed both. Its recurrence was regular, but as slow as the tolling of a death knell. He awaited each stroke with impatience and--he knew not why--apprehension. The intervals of silence grew progressively longer, the delays became maddening. With their greater infrequency the sounds increased in strength and sharpness. They hurt his ear like the thrust of a knife; he feared he would shriek. What he heard was the ticking of his watch.”(Bierce Pg 583). This view point allows the reader to know exactly what goes through the characters mind. This is especially meaningful in this story because of the fact that the main character is joyful when he “escapes” and is anxious to reach home, however we later find out that Peyton Farquhar was just imagining his escape, which was hinted by unobtrusive details. The point of view creates suspense because the imagination of the main character influences the emotion of the reader who is hoping he will