What does the watch symbolize in An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge?

The ticking watch sets the reader up for this shift in the protagonist’s senses, as both suggest a certain change in perception in the moments before death. The ticking watch, in turn, makes it easier for Bierce to segue into the surreal near-dream of Farquhar’s escape and flight.

How Does An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge relate to realism?

The success of Bierce’s surprise ending in An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge depends on the believability of the world he establishes at the beginning of the story. By invoking the gritty details of an enemy’s execution, Bierce participates in a realist tradition that helped to transform popular conceptions of war.

What is the main conflict in An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge?

Since the story is set during the Civil War, the most notable conflict is between North and South, Union and Confederacy. As an Alabama plantation owner, Peyton is sympathetic with the South’s cause. Although he does not fight in the war, he wants to help his side.

What literary devices are used in An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge?

Through the use of point of view, symbolism, and irony in Bierce’s, An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, the reader is able to understand the main character, Peyton Farquhar, and his mentality as he is dying.

What is the irony in An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge?

Another example of irony in the short story “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” was when the Union solider dressed as a Confederate soldier so easily convinced Farquhar to attempt to burn down the Owl Creek Bridge. All he had to do was mention that the bridge could easily be burnt down from one side.

What does Farquhar’s wife represent?

Farquhar’s Wife A dutiful woman who serves as an emblem of the comfort and domestic security Farquhar seeks. Yet Farquhar’s wife also represents the domain that Farquhar rejects in setting off on his reckless mission to cripple the North’s campaign.

Why did Peyton Farquhar die?

Peyton Farquhar dies beneath the Owl Creek Bridge. He was captured and hanged for trying to sabotage and destroy the bridge so that that the Union army could not use it. The majority of the story takes place between the moment when Peyton is falling down with the rope around his neck, and the moment that he dies.

What is Farquhar’s fate?

The surprise ending of the story reveals that Farquhar’s actual fate was…? death by hanging. When Farquhar hears his watch ticking with an exaggerated intensity, Bierce is using the point of view known as…? Third-person limited. Peyton Farquhar gives readers his account of the events.

Why is Peyton Farquhar being executed?

Peyton Farquhar has been condemned to death for attempting to destroy the bridge. As he is being executed he imagines going back home and seeing his wife and when he touches his wife he flashes back to reality and dies.

Why did Peyton Farquhar go to the bridge in the first place?

Farquhar was caught trying to burn down the bridge in order to keep the army from crossing it, and the scout lured him there by telling him how the timber seems quite flammable. From this point on, it was tempting to feel hopeful for Farquhar escaping and returning to his family.

How long does it take for Farquhar to die?

between 15 and 20 minutes

What happens after Farquhar seems to escape from the creek?

Farquhar will eventually be washed onto the shore, and the very first thing that he does is weep with delight. He is thrilled to have escaped his hanging, and he is joyously crying at having escaped the barrage of bullets that were fired at him.

What happens as Farquhar is about to embrace his wife?

As he walks toward the house, his wife steps down from the verandah to meet him. He moves to embrace her but feels a sharp blow on the back of his neck and sees a blinding white light all about him. Then silence and darkness engulf him.

What does Farquhar visualize before he is hanged?

In the moments before Peyton Farquhar is hanged, he “closed his eyes in order to fix his last thoughts upon his wife and children.” It makes a great deal of sense that a person, in their final moments, would visualize the people they love best in the world and try to focus on them in order to make their last thoughts …

What are three of the difficulties that Farquhar seems to overcome?

First he manages to get his wrists untied. Then he claws the rope away from his neck. He fights his way to the surface and bursts out of the water breathing in great gulps of air. He then finds he must then dive deep down into the stream to avoid being shot.

Who is the gray clad soldier?

In this sense, the color gray indicates a distortion of the truth—the soldier is actually a Northern scout disguised in the enemy’s colors.

Why did the soldier visits Farquhar give him?

Why did the soldier who visited Farquhar give him detailed information about the bridge? He knew Peyton would go to the bridge to destroy it and would get caught.

How does Farquhar serve the Southern cause?

Farquhar is certainly dedicated to the southern cause. He owns slaves and is intent on southern victory so he can maintain his livelihood and lifestyle. He doesn’t, however, choose to serve the cause by becoming a Confederate soldier.

Is Farquhar a hero?

So, if the reader takes the perspective of the South, Farquhar is a hero, a man who risks his life for the rights of his countrymen. From a Confederate viewpoint, Peyton Farquar–the protagonist of Ambrose Bierce’s unforgettable short story, “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”–is a hero.

How was Peyton Farquhar tricked?

Peyton Farquhar is tricked by the scout because the man is dressed like a Confederate soldier.