an occurrence at owl creek bridge by ambrose bierce analysis

“”Something Uncanny”: The Dream Structure in Ambrose Bierce’s “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.”.” Studies in Short Fiction 30.3 (1993): 349+. That it is a fictitious account of an individual’s psychology is impertinent here, for the genre employed by the author is realism not fantasy or science-fiction.īierce, Ambrose, An Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge, retrieved from Since psychology as a field of study is all about distilling common anxieties, concerns and fears afflicting the human mind, the story is a perfect case study for students of the discipline. In other words, An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge would have retained its popularity and relevance even if it was set in a different continent at a totally different period in history, for the essence of the story, namely that of a honest man’s love for his family and how this affects his thoughts during the brief few moments before death, could be understood and appreciated by all of us. That is the value, meaning and relevance of the story remains intact across cultures, nationalities and milieus. Moreover, the story stands out for its universal appeal. They also go on to show that Ambrose Bierce infuses the story with key insights into the psychology of distress and trauma. In conclusion, the points mentioned above underscore the unique literary style witnessed in the story. Rather than measuring time in absolute terms, the experience of living, and more particularly the intensity and rapidity with which events unfold, can stretch time to unimaginable lengths. What Bierce is also driving home is the relative and flexible nature of time in the context of human sensory and cognitive experience. Second, the author is hinting that the proper parameter for measuring life should be quality and intensity of its use rather than mere quantity. First, we usually take many small things for granted like the beauty of nature and the sensory pleasure it can give.

In fact, Bierce is suggesting two important things about life.

In other words, another literary element of the story is its implicit didactic undercurrent, which is also the most prominent theme in the story. But the profundity of the story goes far beyond these effects. Seen at a glance, the short story seems to take the reader through conventional narrative devices of suspense, thrill and drama, leading to an unexpected twist ending. (Powers, 1982, p.280) What Is The Union Soldiers Reason For Hanging Farquhar The author is also hinting that we mostly don’t enjoy our lives to the fullest, probably because our attention is being diverted from really important things in life like family and children and toward superficial things like status, wealth accumulation, etc.

An occurrence at owl creek bridge by ambrose bierce analysis