An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

Question 1

Themes

Answer 1

• Illusion vs. Reality: The blurring of perception and actual events, exploring how the mind distorts reality under stress.
• The Nature of Time: Time is manipulated, with moments of intense experience stretching into perceived hours.
• Death and Escape: The story delves into the human instinct to escape death and the psychological experience of facing mortality.
• War and Its Consequences: Highlights the brutality and impersonal nature of war, and its impact on individuals.

Question 2

Characters

Answer 2

• Peyton Farquhar: A civilian plantation owner and Confederate sympathizer, who becomes the central figure in the story. His longing for glory and romanticized view of war lead to his capture and execution.
• Union Soldiers: The executioners who carry out Farquhar’s hanging, representing the harsh and indifferent machinery of war.
• Mrs. Farquhar: Peyton’s wife, who appears briefly in his imagined escape, symbolizing home, safety, and the life he longs to return to.

Question 3

Plot

Answer 3

• Exposition: The story opens with Peyton Farquhar standing on a railroad bridge, bound and about to be hanged by Union soldiers during the Civil War.
• Rising Action: As Farquhar is dropped from the bridge, the narrative shifts to his thoughts and background, revealing how he was lured into a trap by a Union scout.
• Climax: In a perceived escape, the rope breaks, and Farquhar plunges into the water below, freeing himself and beginning a desperate journey home.
• Falling Action: Farquhar navigates through the woods, facing numerous physical and psychological challenges, driven by the hope of reuniting with his family.
• Resolution: Just as Farquhar reaches his home and is about to embrace his wife, the story abruptly shifts back to the present, revealing that his escape was an illusion; he is dead, hanging from the bridge.