The second part of the story is intense, detailed, and almost seems surreal because of the descriptive and detailed account. Even as a reader, the way the story is written, I couldn’t tell the difference between, what was actually happening in the present and what wasn’t. For a man that’s about to die, the lines between reality and illusion start blurring.
The other theme that was a bit of a twist to the story is reality and illusion. I think the way this theme plays into the story seems so raw because it is possibly based on some of the author’s real experiences. Ambrose Bierce, himself, served in the war and even suffered severe injuries during his time in the army. The threat of impending death in a way makes him want to live more. It makes him appreciate and take notice of the little things that we take for granted every day. He becomes aware of every moment, every aspect around him. Farquhar starts to imagine his wife, his kids, and his home during the minutes leading up to the execution. One of the main themes of the story is the thin line between life and death. He is the only character in the story to have a name. There is no clear standing about Farquhar’s ideals, moralistically I mean, but I think it is left ambiguous on purpose. It also hints at the loss of lives during conflicts which is an inevitability of war, despite the deeds of the people involved. He is about to be executed for his role as a soldier, from the Owl Creek Bridge which is just miles away from his home. Not much detail about his actual involvement is described, but he does support the Confederate cause. Peyton Farquhar is a civilian, a planter, and a slave owner. The premise of the story is simple enough yet, difficult to summarize without giving away the plot. He is about to be executed by the Union army soldiers. A man Peyton Farquhar is standing on the Owl Creek Bridge with his hands tied behind his back. The story is set during the American civil war in Alabama. This story has been on my reading list for a while. An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge is a short story written by Ambrose Bierce.
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