Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge

Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge is a highly interesting and riveting short story from start to finish. It follows the hanging, or supposed hanging, of a man called Farquhar who is against the Yanks and sides with the South during times of war. His objective in this story is to burn down Owl Creek Bridge, to keep the Yanks from advancing on the South once again. This is the exposition of the story, the flashback. Once word by soldier arrives that it would be possible to infiltrate the bridge and take it down, Farquhar sets out. This sets the scene and builds the story and makes the reader connect with a seemingly innocent man.

     The rising action of the story is also contained in the flashback scene. This particular scene talks about how no task was too humble for Farquhar to perform to aid the South, basically meaning that he was willing to do whatever it took to help his people. It is in this scene that he is tricked into believing that he can actually take down said bridge by a Federal scout, one who is obviously siding with the Northerners. It is Farquhar’s own loyalty to his people, and his failure to perceive deceptions, that lead to his ultimate demise.

     The conflict of the story is rather obvious – Farquhar wants to support the South, and is deceived into doing something that leads to his doom. The “soldier” that told him that the bridge was burnable was none other than a Federal scout, siding with the North. The scout obviously prepares the Northern soldiers ahead of time and they are waiting for Farquhar. They know of his plans.

     The time Farquhar spends on the wooden plank awaiting his demise is the climax of this story. It is the most dramatic, nerve wrecking part of the entire story. This specific part is structured to keep the reader focused on it, and it alone. Farquhar is surrounded by guards, with no escape, unless he could manage to somehow release his own confines. What will happen? Will he die? Will he live? Will he break free? Suspense is key in this part of the story, as is symbolism. The bridge is a literal bridge between life and death. The driftwood was a symbol of being at the mercy of the soldiers, as it is at the mercy of the water.

     The falling action of this story is everything that follows the time spent on the plank. The beginning of part three is written in such a way to throw readers off – from this point on is where the story is open to interpretation. One might believe that Farquhar is dead as soon as his feet leave the plank. After all, the first sentence of part three does say that he is dead. However, it does go on to describe Farquhar’s escape and flee into the woods, back toward his home and his family. The story is open ended, though it is to be assumed that he is simply imagining these events, as the end of part three reveals that he is actually hanged after all. Perhaps this is symbolic – maybe his delusion of escape is depicting inner freedom. Maybe Farquhar accepts his fate and is ultimately set free.

     The resolution of this story lies with the readers and how they choose to interpret the writing. Is Farquhar captured, or is this an alternate reality of what really happened? Did he actually escape or was this a delusion, a desperate cry for freedom? It is a proven fact that Farquhar is hanged, but does this necessarily happen as the readers are told it does? Perhaps none of this is true and all of the events are in Farquhar’s mind.