“An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,” by Ambrose Bierce, proposes the idea that human individuals have no control over their lives, and even solace found in the imagination is limited by their helpless reality. Bierce, through fighting amidst the horrors of the Civil War, developed a pessimistic disposition towards humanity. Being a local color writer, Bierce depicts his scenes with the utmost attention to detail, and structures his short story around specific settings that he uses to allegorize his view on human limitation. Uniquely, Bierce’s story contains two conflicts. Through the use of his double conflict, and unexpected resolution to them, Bierce expresses the extent of humanities helplessness, while also revealing the limits of the human
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Peyton Farquhar, unknowingly, quarried a Union spy in an effort to help the Confederate forces.
“How far is it to Owl Creek Bridge? Farquhar asked.
“About thirty miles”
“Is there no force on this side of the creek?”
“Only a picket post half a mile out, on the railroad, and a single sentinel at this end of the bridge.”
“Suppose a man—a civilian and student of hanging—should elude the picket and perhaps get the better of the sentinel,” said Farquhar smiling, “what could he accomplish? …show more content…
Bierce exposes Peyton’s surrender to his fortune by moving the conflict of the story to Peyton’s mind, showing that the only escape that Farquhar could possible manufacture, on his own accord, was within his own cognizance. Bierce then suggests the extreme, by proposing, through his conclusion, that even humanity’s cognizance is limited to reality. From the extract above, one can see that Farquhar never quite managed to complete his imaginary escape, as the real noose snapped he neck, before he had the opportunity to embrace his wife. This represents the true lack of humanity’s control over their lives, and proves that even the control, found within the mind, is confined to a degree. Bierce continues to write that “Peyton Farquhar was dead; his body, with a broken neck, swung gently from side to side beneath…the Owl Creek Bridge.” Farquhar could have died from strangulation, as is the case with many hangings; however, he decided to snap Farquhar’s neck. When someone severely damages their vertebral column, they may lose all control over their body, and in extreme cases die. This is Bierce’s final symbol of humanity’s eternal paralyses. Bierce opened his account with humanity without control, then ended it the same way, and with the truly uncontrollable force of nature,
Peyton Farquhar, unknowingly, quarried a Union spy in an effort to help the Confederate forces.
“How far is it to Owl Creek Bridge? Farquhar asked.
“About thirty miles”
“Is there no force on this side of the creek?”
“Only a picket post half a mile out, on the railroad, and a single sentinel at this end of the bridge.”
“Suppose a man—a civilian and student of hanging—should elude the picket and perhaps get the better of the sentinel,” said Farquhar smiling, “what could he accomplish? …show more content…
Bierce exposes Peyton’s surrender to his fortune by moving the conflict of the story to Peyton’s mind, showing that the only escape that Farquhar could possible manufacture, on his own accord, was within his own cognizance. Bierce then suggests the extreme, by proposing, through his conclusion, that even humanity’s cognizance is limited to reality. From the extract above, one can see that Farquhar never quite managed to complete his imaginary escape, as the real noose snapped he neck, before he had the opportunity to embrace his wife. This represents the true lack of humanity’s control over their lives, and proves that even the control, found within the mind, is confined to a degree. Bierce continues to write that “Peyton Farquhar was dead; his body, with a broken neck, swung gently from side to side beneath…the Owl Creek Bridge.” Farquhar could have died from strangulation, as is the case with many hangings; however, he decided to snap Farquhar’s neck. When someone severely damages their vertebral column, they may lose all control over their body, and in extreme cases die. This is Bierce’s final symbol of humanity’s eternal paralyses. Bierce opened his account with humanity without control, then ended it the same way, and with the truly uncontrollable force of nature,