Term Paper on "Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge"

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The Civil war Backdrop

The timeline of the story dates back to the civil war period when the northern Yankees were fighting the southern rebel forces for abolishing slavery. The protagonist 'Payton Farquhar', a wealthy southern white plantation owner, who resists abolition of slavery, ends up as a civil war victim. The story begins on the railroad bridge where 'Payton Farquhar' is waiting to be hanged for his disruptive role (destruction of the rail road) against the northern federal army's anti-slavery mission. There was a huge difference in the sizes of the federal (union) army and the rebel forces and hence it was customary for the rebels to engage in guerrilla warfare against the Union Forces. An important tactic that was employed by them was to disrupt the communication lines being used by the federal forces. The story follows the same thread in that Farquhar tries to destroy the communication lines of the 'Union Army' by burning off the railway road. In fact, Farquhar was tricked into act of destroying the bridge. A Union scout deceives him and drags him into the plot. Bierce uses symbolism to show racial inequality that was prevalent during that time in the southern states. [Project ELLSA ] For example when the author says, 'Mrs. Farquhar was only too happy to serve him with her own white hands' he clearly hints at the racial overtones. The southerners were not willing to give up slavery and establish equal rights for blacks and whites

Emotional Journey (Fiction and Realism)

The entire events unfold during the brief interlude when Farquhar is faced with his own approaching end. Giving a vivid account of Farquhar's escape from the imminent execution during this short span of time, the author infuses fiction… READ MORE