What is the story setting in an occurrence at owl creek bridge?

Answer 1

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" by Ambrose Bierce, is the story of Peyton Farquhar, who is a southern farmer about to be hanged for trying to destroy a union army bridge. The story itself centers on an alternate reality that Farquhar creates in his mind, while he's really hanging, with no heartbeat, just activity in his brain. The idea is that Farquhar creates an escape in his mind, seconds before he is actually dead. The major themes in the story include Death, distortion of time, deception, and dreams vs. reality. First, Bierce uses dying as a huge part of the story, by exploring the human desire to cheat death, and escape fate. Peyton Farquhar tries to do so by examining any escape in his mind, before actually doing anything. By showing that even though, he escaped in his mind, Bierce demonstrates that death is unavoidable no matter what one does to create an escape. Many senses seem to highten in the main character, when he is experiencing the end of his life, such as being able to hear Spiders gliding across the water, or the beating of dragonflies' wings. Which could either be a hallucination by Farquhar, along with his escape, or an actual experience that happens to the body in death. Next, Bierce explores the idea of deception. All the while that the reader is trying to understand what is going on, they are led to believe that what Farquhar is experiencing is true. While not until the end, a realization occurs that it's all a dream, or hallucination. It first starts by Peyton Farquhar dreaming of becoming a great war hero for the confederacy. Which leads him to make the mistake of trying to sabotage the bridge in the first place. It seemed that Bierce wanted to portray dreams as an escape of a harsh reality. Which in this case of Farquhar, is exactly what he was experiencing. Bierce seems to also suggest that creating an alternate reality to escape truth, there can be unfortunate consequences. Another minute, yet important theme that Bierce uses is Time. He distorts the reader's idea of time, by making everything that Farquhar experiences during his escape, happen in a long, drawn out story; When in reality it occurred in only a matter of seconds before his death.

Answer 2

The story "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" is set during the American Civil War on a railroad bridge in northern Alabama. The action takes place in a rural, wooded area with the bridge serving as a focal point for the narrative. The setting plays a crucial role in creating tension and contributing to the story's overall atmosphere.

Answer 3

1. Peyton Faruqhar is standing on the bridge surrounded by union soldiers. 2. He flashes back to the reason he was about to be hanged 3. He hallucinates that he has escaped, but truly he is dead.

Answer 4

American Civil War. a captured spy attempts to find a way out of the noose of the Gallows and survives his attempted execution! Maybe the guy was an acrobat or escape artist before the call to duty. Unusual short story.

Answer 5

The bridge symbolizes unity, which means that Peyton, by trying to destroy it, gets destroyed himself. This is a kind of an irony.