Owl Creek Bridge

In his Ambrose Bierce’s story “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,” he attracts the reader’s attention by describing a man standing on the bridge and talking in 3rd person point of view. In part I, he talks about the scene occurring at the Owl Creek Bridge, which the man is going to be executed. From the given information at the beginning, the only idea the reader knows is the man is hanged, which the readers have no sympathy and wonder why the man is hanging.

In part II, he switches the mode of narrative to third person limited/subjective. This change allows the readers to get more background information on Peyton Farquhar. The readers see that Peyton’s character is a Southern and is willing to help other soldiers. Also, the time changes from part I to part II. Part II of the story is actually what happens first because it tells the readers why Farquhar got hanged, while part I just talks about Farquhar getting hanged. The reason why Bierce places part II after part I is to give the readers a sense of curiosity in the beginning and to get their attention.

Finally, in part III, Bierce switches to back to third person omniscient so that the readers can get a clear idea on what is happening in the story. For instance, he talks about Peyton being hand and somehow escapes. He keeps walking around the town and finally reaches home to meet his wife. However, the readers find out that it was all his imagination. Peyton never escaped the bridge, which he was hung, and it gave the readers feel more sympathetic.