"An Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge" by Ambrose Bierce

Blog Assignment #4-

The beginning of Ambrose Bierce’s story is told from a third person objective point of view. From this point of view, it seems as if an outsider is describing the scene to the reader. By starting the story out this way, the reader is given a descriptive view of the setting and situation. In this case, readers are given details about the man, Peyton Farquhar, about to be hung off of Owl Creek Bridge and about his surroundings of soldiers and captains. However, this point of view may also suppress from the story because this way, the reader has no insight on the inner thoughts and feelings of either Peyton Farquhar or the soldiers sending him to his death. This insider view can help to make the reader feel more involved in the story.

The last three paragraphs of part one switch to a third person limited point of view. Peyton Farquhar’s thoughts about his coming death are now revealed. The first paragraph of this transition reveals his point of view of where he stands; the reader is told about the soldiers around him and the water below him. The next paragraph brings the reader into Peyton Farquhar’s thoughts about how to save him from this seemingly inescapable fate. He also thinks about his wife and kids back home safe. By being allowed into the thoughts of this man, the reader now has an emotion connection to him.

Part two of Ambrose Bierce’s story returns to a third person objective point of view. The reader is brought back out of the mind of Peyton Farquhar and can now see how he got into the situation previously presented. In terms of chronology, the reader is brought back into the past, before the hanging occurs. By doing so, it is shown how the situation and hanging came to happen.