An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge
The short story by Ambrose Bierce entitled “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” presents one of his most captivating literary works. The story is also known to be the author’s most famous story since its first publication in 1890. The story draws a lot of attention from its readers because it is very engaging and has a very surprising ending. It is subdivided into three parts, all of which are equally engaging. This essay seeks to provide an analysis of the story’s deeper theme.
One of the themes present in the story is that of an omniscient narrator. In two out of the three subdivisions of the literature, an authorial narrator is used in telling the story. The narrator’s way of telling the story allows the reader to view the characters and their world from an outside perspective. The authorial narrator is also presented as omniscient. His point of view regarding the characters is unlimited; he looks into them from the outside but is not part of their world. In addition to the narrator not being a character in the story, he is an external focalizer. This because of his presentation of the characters’ behavior externally. He also tells the story of second-person pronouns. Since the narrator is outside the story and the world of characters, it allows him to narrate the story while associating their activities with their external attributes that are only visible to the narrator. An example of this is when the narrator exposes the secretes that characters are hiding from one another. His presentation of omniscience allows the reader to gain an insight into the blindness and hypocrisy of the characters.
The narration of the third part of the story is done by a figuratively. This form of narration allows the reader to take part in the story by sharing the perception, thoughts, and feelings of the character. The author’s form of narration on the third part of the story can, therefore, be claimed to be that of a character focalizer. The use of figurative narration however, does not expose the reader to everything. The reader is, therefore, left anxious about the eventuality of the story. In the last sentence of the third part, however, the narrator changes his form of narration and becomes both omniscient and authorial. His newly found unlimited view discloses to the reader that the character, Peyton Farquhar, was already dead and did not experience the adventures the reader was following. This calls into question the reliability of the narrator because his delivery up until the end presented realism, but the ending twist changes the whole perception of the story and the narrator himself.
The theme of fantasy and imagination is also present in the story. Peyton, a character in the story, has a perception that involves a lot of fantasy and imagination. In part I, When Peyton is on the bridge, for example, he sees a driftwood on the stream that is racing very fast. His thoughts about this drifting wood are however, contrary to reality. His thoughts are, “How slowly it appeared to move! What a sluggish stream!” (Bierce n.p). Some fantasy is also noticed in Peyton’s perception of the war. He fails to acknowledge the dangers involved in war and that war means putting one’s own life at risk. He rather sees a potential fame and glory as he claims to be interested in “the larger life of the soldier . . . the opportunity for distinction” (Bierce n.p). This perception is what causes his ultimate demise.
Time is yet another theme that is present in the story. It seems that Farquhar does not have enough time. This is first seen at the beginning of the story where his watch it ticking down, counting the seconds towards his demise. A federal scout had already planned to burn the bridge down. The narrative is also plagued with a strange perception and flow of time. The narrator keeps taking the reader back and forth between the past and the present. Time perception in the story is so disoriented that the reader comes to learn about Peyton’s name and the reason for his execution after he falls through the bridge. The non-linear presentation of time in the story also indicates that Peyton has no control over the events taking place. This is evident in the reaction he portrays at the ticking watch, “He wondered what it was, and whether immeasurably distant or nearby–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.” (Bierce n.p). This indicates that in as much as he can hear his watch ticking, he has no control over the passing time. He rather escapes into an alternate reality. The presentation of time also allows the reader to perceive events without limitation in the period they take place. It also allows the narrator to capture every detail within the few seconds.
The conclusion of the story is one of the most inspiring sections of the narration. The unexpected ending comes as a big surprise to the reader. It can also be viewed as confusing and shocking at the same time. The events that had captivated the reader’s attention throughout the story turn out to be just a glimpse of imagination running through the characters’ mind at the time of his demise. The fact that the events did not actually take place leaves the reader more surprised than ever at the end of the story. The character is so well formulated in the story that the reader has got no doubts about the authenticity of events. This unpredictability is what makes the story outstanding when the reader discovers the truth at the end. At the conclusion is also where we witness a shift in narration from figural narrative to authorial narrative. This happens when the narrator suddenly reveals the fate of Peyton in the last sentence, “Peyton Farquhar was dead; his body, with a broken neck, swung gently from side to side beneath the timbers of the Owl Creek bridge.” (Bierce n.p).
It can be concluded that this story has several themes that the author makes use of without which it would not have been as captivating as it is. His use of time in the story is one of the major themes that draw the attention of the user. His ability to tell a series of events taking place within a few seconds without disclosing the period taken or the ending allows the reader to establish a connection with the main character. This is why the ending comes as a big surprise to the reader. The author’s choice of narration also allows the reader to get an omniscient view of the characters in the story from an outside perspective.
Works Cited
Bierce, Ambrose. “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.” Short Stories and Classic Literature, 1891, americanliterature.com/author/ambrose-bierce/short-story/an-occurrence-at-owl-creek-bridge.
