An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

“An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” is a story about a man who is about to be hanged. The man who is to be hanged is Peyton Farquhar, a civilian caught up in the Civil War. Farquhar is a wealthy plantation owner from down south. As a plantation owner of the south he allowed Confederate soldiers to enter his house. He let one soldier in that explained to him about the railroad near by and that the Union was taking over the land quickly. He stated that the Union force was already at the Owl Creek Bridge and that if any civilian was found trying to tamper with the bridge he/she would be hanged. This is why Farquhar’s is being hanged. As he was about to be hung, he could feel the rope tighten around his neck and couldn’t breathe, but the rope failed and all of a sudden he felt himself underwater. Then the soldiers started the shoot at him. They shot a cannonball, which made a huge wave that threw Farquhar onto the land. Once on land, Farquhar ran through trees and straight home. When he got there he saw his wife but before he could say anything or make it known he was alive, he died due to his injuries from the hanging which did not work. Then at the end you find out that the entire excitement of him getting away is merely a dream as he sways from side to side underneath the tree at the Owl Creek Bridge.

One thing I found interesting about this story was the narration. It was quite interesting that the author used a narrator that knew everything about the character but was not involved in the story (third person omniscient). I liked this story due to the setting. It was described in so much detail that it made me feel like I was standing next to Farquhar. It was also attention grabbing that the author went back and forth between the present and the past to give details about what was going on. I did find the end a little disappointing rather than exciting. It seemed unrealistic to believe that he got away initially but then when he ran home I truly thought he had done it. Then it explains that he had a broken neck and died before he reached his wife which to me seemed completely unrealistic. I was not surprised to find out that the entire escape was just something that Farquhar dreamed up. I think the author did a great job with this book but that it lacked suspense.