In this essay, I will analyze a passage from Ambrose Bierce’s “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.” Further, I will analyze certain portions from the aforementioned passage, utilizing my own words. Lastly, I will suggest the ways in which the previously mentioned portion provides an appropriate conclusion to the passage, the tone, and how the extracted portion from the passage relates to, or comments on, the rest of the story.
In the second paragraph, or passage, of Bierce’s story, the narrator, in an omniscient point of view, is utilizing realistic elements and great detail to portray military protocol. The impact of way in which Bierce writes denotes a tone that is suggestive to the reader that is very matter-of-fact, devoid of emotion – perhaps even indifferent. It is almost as if the passage suggests to the reader that the mood is stoic, and presents a portrayal of how soldiers function (74).
Bierce does not provide many details relative to the emotion of Farquhar in the second passage. Notably, Bierce comments on the absence of emotion, “The company faced the bridge, staring stonily, motionless” (74). The narrator takes note of the way in which the sentinels, preparing for the execution, seemed to be positioned on the bridge as mere “statutes,” and served little purpose other than to decorate the bridge from which Farquhar will soon be executed (74).
The entire passage seems to possess a sort of vague silence, or even hesitation to the situation. Farquhar’s name is not mentioned, even though the passage is used to portray the scene of his execution. There is no discussion amongst the soldiers regarding the execution. Rather, the reader is provided with mere military protocol, as well as a description of how the soldiers, and the high ranking officials, are positioned, where they are looking, what way they are facing, the small and subtle actions of the soldiers, but the paragraph ends with a powerful and telling message of what is to come. The final...