Write an analysis that describes what you think Ambrose Bierce might have been trying to communicate to the reader about his views on the military. Use textual evidence to support your analysis. At least 3 direct quotes from the text are required.
Select at least 3 literary devices used by the author to create and maintain suspense in the story from the beginning to the end. Use textual evidence to support your selection.
1. as he fell to his demise his neck didn't break and he was left gasping for breath. 2. when he came up out of the water he was being shot at. 3.was shot just as he had reached his wife.
1. "It did not appear to be the duty of these two men to know what was occurring at the center of the bridge; they merely blockaded the two ends of the foot planking that traversed it." ~ Bierce is showing that everyone in the military wasn't aware of the cruel activities that the general was doing. The army was hiding the nasty deeds that they completed from those two men and probably many others. Most likely, the men couldn't even see what was happening. They were only instructed to shoot if someone started running or escaping.
2. How coldly and pitilessly--with what an even, calm intonation, presaging, and enforcing tranquility in the men--with what accurately measured interval fell those cruel words: "Company! . . . Attention! . . . Shoulder arms! . . . Ready!. . . Aim! . . . Fire!" ~ Bierce was trying to convey his feeling of disgust towards the men in the military. He couldn't believe how pitilessly those men shot others in the war. Those words seemed so cruel!Bierce also believed that the general or person in charge was trying to make the men with guns calm about shooting people.
3. He observed that it was a gray eye and remembered having read that gray eyes were keenest, and that all famous marksmen had them. Nevertheless, this one had missed. ~ Bierce wanted to prove that everyone in the military wasn't perfect. He also wanted to show how hard it would've been to escape from a lot of soldiers shooting at you. Bierce emphasized that Peyton was lucky that he escaped from a man with a gray eye.
1. "Evidently this was no vulgar assassin. The liberal military code makes provision for hanging many kinds of persons, and gentlemen are not excluded." ~ Bierce wanted to portray the military as cruel men who don't mind shooting innocent people dead. This paticular quote tells the reader that the military hangs people all the time, and it doesn't matter who the person is; whether it is male or even a kid. 2. How coldly and pitilessly--with what an even, calm intonation, presaging, and enforcing tranquility in the men--with what accurately measured interval fell those cruel words:
~Bierce used this quote in my opinion to clearly show how people in the military do not care about people's feelings, and will carelessly follow the general's orders without giving a second thought. This is an order that is said many times. Those few words are very harsh and mean, because they dont even care that they are about to do. 3. Suddenly he heard a sharp report and something struck the water smartly within a few inches of his head, spattering his face with spray. He heard a second report, and saw one of the sentinels with his rifle at his shoulder, a light cloud of blue smoke rising from the muzzle. The man in the water saw the eye of the man on the bridge gazing into his own through the sights of the rifle. He observed that it was a gray eye and remembered having read that gray eyes were keenest, and that all famous marksmen had them ~Bierce basically against the actions of some of the military. It shows that the military are still human, because they can't do everything perfectly (shoot a swimming man for example) This paticular quote really shows that it isn't extremely difficult to escape, even when so many men are shooting
Device #1(Foreshadowing): "How softly the turf had carpeted the untraveled avenue--he could no longer feel the roadway beneath his feet!" This quote foreshadows that Peyton is already starting to lose consciousness and drifting further and further towards death. He seems to have lost his sense of feel which shows that he is just beginning to become unconscious and then die. It also shows that he is sort of imagining this and that he is already dead.
Device #2(Personification): "A piece of dancing driftwood caught his attention and his eyes followed it down the current." This quote shows personification, because a piece of driftwood is an inanimate object and yet, in this quote, it's dancing. Dancing is a human quality that driftwood can't do.
Device #3(Simile): "I observed that the flood of last winter had lodged a great quantity of driftwood against the wooden pier at this end of the bridge. It is now dry and would burn like tinder." This quote describes a simile, because it's comparing the burning of driftwood to tinder using "like". Peyton was trying to find out more about the picket post and this is what he found out. It shows that if he set fire to the wooden pier, it would burn to ashes very quickly. I think that this is what he might have been trying to do but instead, he got caught.
Device 1: Tone Bierce continually refers to Farquhar’s imagined surroundings as they “seem,” rather than as they really are. We do not realize this as we read, but every time Farquhar makes an observation about something he is dreaming of, he always says something along the lines of, “The forest seemed interminable.” Note that he uses the word “seemed,” here, to show that what the reader is reading is only Farquhar’s perception, one that we later realize to be a dream. Device 2: Symbol Throughout the story, Bierce associates the color gray with the protagonist outlook of the story. The first hint at this is the fact that Farquhar’s eyes are gray. Secondly, he is supporting the gray-clad soldiers of the Confederates. Finally, while swimming away, Farquhar associates the gray eyes of the soldier attacking him to label him as a good shot. Through this, we find out that Bierce is associating the color gray with the protagonist and his motives, making it easy to identify how the protagonist thinks, which adds to the suspense. Device 3: Anaphora “What splendid effort!--what magnificent, what superhuman strength!” We see this quote when Farquhar “frees” himself from his bonds. Immediately, we are signaled to the fact that as he praises himself, such actions are nearly impossible. He himself calls his effort splendid, and his strength superhuman. So, how can readers believe that what is happening is real? The suspense is built greatly here through this use of anaphora.
1. "Some loose boards laid upon the ties supporting the rails of the railway supplied a footing for him and his executioners--two private soldiers of the Federal army,directed by a sergeant who in civil life may have been a deputy sheriff." Bierce is portraying the military as executioners. The federal army has sentenced Peyton to be executed by hanging, which makes them seem barbaric. 2. "The company faced the bridge, staring stonily, motionless. The sentinels, facing the banks of the stream, might have been statues to adorn the bridge.The captain stood with folded arms, silent,observing the work of his subordinates, but making no sign. Death is a dignitary who when he comes announced is to be received with formal manifestations of respect, even by those most familiar with him." Peyton wishes for some of the army, even just one person, to feel sorry for him because he is about to be hanged. But as Bierce writes, he says that the other soldiers were like stone; their faces expressionless as the noose was slipped around his neck. Bierce believe the army to be savage and heinous and apathetic. 3. "The preparations being complete, the two private soldiers stepped aside and each drew away the plank upon which he had been standing. The sergeant turned to the captain, saluted and placed himself immediately behind that officer, who in turn moved apart one pace. These movements left the condemned man and the sergeant standing on the two ends of the same plank, which spanned three of the cross-ties of the bridge. The end upon which the civilian stood almost, but not quite, reached a fourth. This plank had been held in place by the weight of the captain; it was now held by that of the sergeant. At a signal from the former the latter would step aside, the plank would tilt and the condemned man go down between two ties." Here, Bierce illustrates through his words a vision where Peyton is silently pleading with the captain and the sergeant with his eyes, but not one will even show his pity or remorse.
(THIS IS SHELSEY, by the way (:) Description: The author depicted the character's feelings, emotions, and thoughts within the textual passage of Owl Creek Bridge. We were showed parts of the main character's past life and his family (his wife). The author, Ambrose Bierce, is able to describe the scene using the senses of the passage’s protagonist. We are able to envision how the characters feel. We realize their roles within the story, just by how they act and are mastered upon by others. We realize fear within the heart of Peyton. As the reader, we feel sadness for the grief his family will fall upon. The description in this story is both intriguing and excellently broadcasted. “His features were good -- a straight nose, firm mouth, broad forehead, from which his long, dark hair was combed straight back, falling behind his ears to the collar of his well fitting frock coat.” (An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, Ambrose Bierce) Allusion: Within the story, we are drawn toward the dream that Peyton reminisces upon. At the beginning of the dream Peyton envisions himself running casually toward his wife. Both of there are widely spread-eagle and they seem to have everlasting smiles set upon their faces. This is an allusion, because this is scenario that is often referenced within fairytales and other past time oddities. “At the bottom of the steps she stands waiting, with a smile of ineffable joy, an attitude of matchless grace and dignity. Ah, how beautiful she is!” (An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, Ambrose Bierce) Metaphor and Simile: While describing the military reinforcements, the author of this passage describes them as within a comparison to each other and things that stand within nature. The military are compared by their ranks, whether upper or lower, as well as, their physical stance within the setting. The closer guards were those with high military stance and those who were without view were perceived to be of lower stance. It did not appear to be the duty of these two men to know what was occurring at the center of the bridge; they merely blockaded the two ends of the foot planking that traversed it “It did not appear to be the duty of these two men to know what was occurring at the center of the bridge; they merely blockaded the two ends of the foot planking that traversed it.” (An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, Ambrose Bierce) Ambrose Bierce doesn’t seem to completely agree with the political stance that the Union side provided for. It is also known that he strongly disagrees with the Confederates. This selection shows that Bierce feels that some of the actions taken by the Union forces were sometimes inappropriate and uncalled for.
1. "Some loose boards laid upon the ties supporting the rails of the railway supplied a footing for him and his executioners--two private soldiers of the Federal army,directed by a sergeant" This is said to portray they military as executioners. Also I think he might have wanted to say anything you see may be used as a cruel purpose later.
2. Suddenly he heard a sharp report and something struck the water smartly within a few inches of his head, spattering his face with spray." This is said to keep the reader interested after it seems that Farquhar is safe. Also it means that again Farquhar is in danger of dying for the third time.
3. "Company! . . . Attention! . . . Shoulder arms! . . . Ready!. . . Aim! . . . Fire!" After hearing this i realized how Bierce wanted to portray the military as pitiless men who would do anything they had to do whether it is kill, run, or keep watch just on orders. This I realize is just like the Milgram experiments where they want to see if people will inflict pain just because they are told by somebody.
1. "A piece of dancing driftwood caught his attention and his eyes followed it down the current."
This creates suspense because it sounds like foreshadowing that later on in the story he will try to catch it or follow it down the stream and hopefully escape.
2. "From this state he was awakened--ages later, it seemed to him--by the pain of a sharp pressure upon his throat, followed by a sense of suffocation. Keen, poignant agonies seemed to shoot from his neck downward through every fiber of his body and limbs. These pains appeared to flash along well-defined lines of ramification and to beat with an inconceivably rapid periodicity. They seemed like streams of pulsating fire heating him to an intolerable temperature."
This quote makes the reader thinks he is still alive and it creates suspense when he tries to get off the noose and bindings without suffocating underwater.
3. "The man in the water saw the eye of the man on the bridge gazing into his own through the sights of the rifle. He observed that it was a grey eye and remembered having read that grey eyes were keenest, and that all famous marksmen had them. "
Since it is a hard eye to miss, Farquahar is going to have be swift and dodge or outsmart the shooter very well.
1. Ambiguity -"What splendid effort!—what magnificent, what superhuman strength! Ah, that was a fine endeavor! Bravo!" -The execution, the set up, the final thoughts all seemed to be normal and Peyton gets hanged. All of a sudden, he starts performing miraculous feats and starts to actually have a chance to fight certain death. You don't really know what is happening, so you continue to read to get to the bottom of it.
2. Mood -A whiz and a rattle of grapeshot among the branches high above his head roused him from his dream. The baffled cannoneer had fired him a random farewell. He sprang to his feet, rushed up the sloping bank, and plunged into the forest. -Every thing goes by really quickly in the story, the setting changes every few paragraphs, and, of course, Peyton is fleeing the whole time. This high speed through out the story keeps the reader's interest and wants them yearning for more.
3. Foreshadowing -All that day he traveled, laying his course by the rounding sun. The forest seemed interminable; nowhere did he discover a break in it, not even a woodman's road. He had not known that he lived in so wild a region. There was something uncanny in the revelation. -You start to see Peyton observing the world he is traveling through more closely, and notices that is foreign to him. The reader gets a feeling that Peyton doesn't belong in this world and you realize that something abnormal is going to happen. In this case, the abnormal thing was that the world was a figment of Peyton's imagination.
Device 1: Personification; "The railroad ran straight away into a forest for a hundred yards, then, curving, was lost to view." This sentence shows personification because the railroad is given human characteristics. Railroads can't really run.
Device 2:Simile; They seemed like streams of pulsating fire heating him to an intolerable temperature. This is a simile because there is a comparison between being hanged and being burned using the word like.
Device 3: Metaphor;"Encompassed in a luminous cloud, of which he was now merely the fiery heart, without material substance, he swung trough unthinkable arcs of oscillation, like a vast pendulum" This is a metaphor because it compares Farquhar's role/placement in the cloud to a fiery heart. He's dizzy and described it by saying vast pendulum which is a metaphor also.
"The Yanks are repairing the railroads," - Bierce wanted to inform the reader that the Union was much more industrialized and advanced than the Confederates. Since the Union was already extending their railroads to the south, it demonstrated Union advancements.
"Attention, company! . . Shoulder arms! . . . Ready! . . . Aim! . . . Fire!" -This quote demonstrated how strict on timing the commanders were. Bierce wanted to inform the reader that commanders wanted everything on time.
"He observed that it was a grey eye and remembered having read that grey eyes were keenest, and that all famous marksmen had them." - In the story Farquhar said that he read that men with grey eyes were the best marksmen. This built suspense after we were informed of this knowledge. Also, Bierce wanted to tell the reader that probably some of his fellow soldiers were telling him these myths about people.
(Olivia Zane) 1."Some loose boards laid upon the ties supporting the rails of the railway supplied a footing for him and his executioners - two private soldiers of the Federal army, directed by a sergeant who in civil life may have been a deputy sheriff." Ambrose Bierce is saying that the leaders in the military are not qualified to be leaders and if the war was not going on they would not trusted to be a leader. A deputy sheriff is a lower rank than a sheriff who is the leader. All in all Bierce was justing trying to say that the leaders were not capable of being good leaders. 2."Death is a dignitary who when he comes announced is to be received with formal manifestations of respect, even by those most familiar with him. In the code of military etiquette silence and fixity are forms of deference." Ambrose Bierce is saying that in the military people are suppose to accept and respect death. He is showing that the military doesn't see that death is a big deal which makes them robots wih no feelings who do not realize they are killing someone with people who love him and emotions. 3."Evidently this was no vulgar assassin. The liberal military code makes provision for hanging many kinds of persons, and gentlemen are not excluded." Ambrose Bierce thinks that the military is ruthless but fair at the same time. The military will kill anyone they view as a threat which perhaps include small but they also don't show prefrence which is admirable. The military is straightlaced and has rules and procedures that are followed with not exceptions.
"A piece of dancing driftwood caught his attention and his eyes followed it down the current." *This quote shows personification-the dancing driftwood-which creates a stronger image of how the wood was drifting along the river's current. *This quote also shows some foreshadowing. The driftwood flowing along the river can be seen as a sign that perhaps Farguhar is finding a way to move on, or escape. "What splendid effort!--what magnificent, what superhuman strength! Ah, that was a fine endeavor! Bravo! The cord fell away; his arms parted and floated upward, the hands dimly seen on each side in the growing light." *The personification of the "growing" light in this quote also have an important part in creating the suspense in this story. It creates an image that the he is nearing the light, both in a literal and maybe a symbolized way. Light can often times be considered a symbol for freedom, and by nearing the growing light, one can infer that Farquhar is possibly reaching a true point of escape, along with the quote above about the driftwood.
Device 1: Personification:"His neck ached horribly; his brain was on fire, his heart, which had been fluttering faintly, gave a great leap, trying to force itself out at his mouth." There are two examples of personification in this quote. Device 2: Simile: "Suddenly he felt himself whirled round and round--spinning like a top." Device 3: Foreshadowing: "The lady had now brought the water, which the soldier drank. He thanked her ceremoniously, bowed to her husband and rode away. An hour later, after nightfall, he repassed the plantation, going northward in the direction from which he had come. He was a Federal scout."
I think the author thought that the military could be harsh sometimes, and that they punished people that didn't deserve to be punished. He thinks this because of how he describes Peyton Farquhar- "and had a kindly expression which one would hardly have expected in one whose neck was in the hemp. Evidently this was no vulgar assassin." This quote shows that the author does not think that Farquhar would be the type of person that deserves execution
Also, when the author describes Farquhar when he's about to be hung, he doesn't describe him as just any man. He says "He closed his eyes in order to fix his last thoughts upon his wife and children." This shows that the author realizes that most of these men that were hung in war had wives and children and friends, and he has respect for them.
Last, the author's writing "The preparations being complete, the two private soldiers stepped aside and each drew away the plank upon which he had been standing. The sergeant turned to the captain, saluted and placed himself immediately behind that officer, who in turn moved apart one pace. " shows how orderly he views the military and that they follow very strict directions.
1. it is ironic that the second he reaches his wife he dies 2.hyperbole that all of the trees on his walk back home were straight and erect 3. He calls the sound of the cannon fire a diminuendo as it soars over his head
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1. as he fell to his demise his neck didn't break and he was left gasping for breath.
ReplyDelete2. when he came up out of the water he was being shot at.
3.was shot just as he had reached his wife.
1. "It did not appear to be the duty of these two men to know what was occurring at the center of the bridge; they merely blockaded the two ends of the foot planking that traversed it."
ReplyDelete~ Bierce is showing that everyone in the military wasn't aware of the cruel activities that the general was doing. The army was hiding the nasty deeds that they completed from those two men and probably many others. Most likely, the men couldn't even see what was happening. They were only instructed to shoot if someone started running or escaping.
2. How coldly and pitilessly--with what an even, calm intonation, presaging, and enforcing tranquility in the men--with what accurately measured interval fell those cruel words:
"Company! . . . Attention! . . . Shoulder arms! . . . Ready!. . . Aim! . . . Fire!"
~ Bierce was trying to convey his feeling of disgust towards the men in the military. He couldn't believe how pitilessly those men shot others in the war. Those words seemed so cruel!Bierce also believed that the general or person in charge was trying to make the men with guns calm about shooting people.
3. He observed that it was a gray eye and remembered having read that gray eyes were keenest, and that all famous marksmen had them. Nevertheless, this one had missed.
~ Bierce wanted to prove that everyone in the military wasn't perfect. He also wanted to show how hard it would've been to escape from a lot of soldiers shooting at you. Bierce emphasized that Peyton was lucky that he escaped from a man with a gray eye.
1. "Evidently this was no vulgar assassin. The
ReplyDeleteliberal military code makes provision for hanging many kinds of
persons, and gentlemen are not excluded."
~ Bierce wanted to portray the military as cruel men who don't mind shooting innocent people dead. This paticular quote tells the reader that the military hangs people all the time, and it doesn't matter who the person is; whether it is male or even a kid.
2. How
coldly and pitilessly--with what an even, calm intonation, presaging,
and enforcing tranquility in the men--with what accurately measured
interval fell those cruel words:
"Company! . . . Attention! . . . Shoulder arms! . . . Ready!. . .
Aim! . . . Fire!"
~Bierce used this quote in my opinion to clearly show how people in the military do not care about people's feelings, and will carelessly follow the general's orders without giving a second thought. This is an order that is said many times. Those few words are very harsh and mean, because they dont even care that they are about to do.
3. Suddenly he heard a sharp report and something struck the water
smartly within a few inches of his head, spattering his face with
spray. He heard a second report, and saw one of the sentinels with
his rifle at his shoulder, a light cloud of blue smoke rising from the
muzzle. The man in the water saw the eye of the man on the bridge
gazing into his own through the sights of the rifle. He observed that
it was a gray eye and remembered having read that gray eyes were
keenest, and that all famous marksmen had them
~Bierce basically against the actions of some of the military. It shows that the military are still human, because they can't do everything perfectly (shoot a swimming man for example) This paticular quote really shows that it isn't extremely difficult to escape, even when so many men are shooting
Device #1(Foreshadowing): "How softly the turf had carpeted the untraveled avenue--he could no longer feel the roadway beneath his feet!"
ReplyDeleteThis quote foreshadows that Peyton is already starting to lose consciousness and drifting further and further towards death. He seems to have lost his sense of feel which shows that he is just beginning to become unconscious and then die. It also shows that he is sort of imagining this and that he is already dead.
Device #2(Personification): "A piece of dancing
driftwood caught his attention and his eyes followed it down the current."
This quote shows personification, because a piece of driftwood is an inanimate object and yet, in this quote, it's dancing. Dancing is a human quality that driftwood can't do.
Device #3(Simile): "I observed that the flood of last winter had lodged a great quantity of
driftwood against the wooden pier at this end of the bridge. It is now dry and would burn like tinder."
This quote describes a simile, because it's comparing the burning of driftwood to tinder using "like". Peyton was trying to find out more about the picket post and this is what he found out. It shows that if he set fire to the wooden pier, it would burn to ashes very quickly. I think that this is what he might have been trying to do but instead, he got caught.
Device 1: Tone
ReplyDeleteBierce continually refers to Farquhar’s imagined surroundings as they “seem,” rather than as they really are. We do not realize this as we read, but every time Farquhar makes an observation about something he is dreaming of, he always says something along the lines of, “The forest seemed interminable.” Note that he uses the word “seemed,” here, to show that what the reader is reading is only Farquhar’s perception, one that we later realize to be a dream.
Device 2: Symbol
Throughout the story, Bierce associates the color gray with the protagonist outlook of the story. The first hint at this is the fact that Farquhar’s eyes are gray. Secondly, he is supporting the gray-clad soldiers of the Confederates. Finally, while swimming away, Farquhar associates the gray eyes of the soldier attacking him to label him as a good shot. Through this, we find out that Bierce is associating the color gray with the protagonist and his motives, making it easy to identify how the protagonist thinks, which adds to the suspense.
Device 3: Anaphora
“What splendid effort!--what magnificent, what superhuman strength!” We see this quote when Farquhar “frees” himself from his bonds. Immediately, we are signaled to the fact that as he praises himself, such actions are nearly impossible. He himself calls his effort splendid, and his strength superhuman. So, how can readers believe that what is happening is real? The suspense is built greatly here through this use of anaphora.
1. "Some loose boards laid upon the ties supporting the rails of the railway supplied a footing for him and his executioners--two private soldiers of the Federal army,directed by a sergeant who in civil life may have been a deputy sheriff." Bierce is portraying the military as executioners. The federal army has sentenced Peyton to be executed by hanging, which makes them seem barbaric.
ReplyDelete2. "The company faced the bridge, staring stonily, motionless. The sentinels, facing the banks of the stream, might have been statues to adorn the bridge.The captain stood with folded arms, silent,observing the work of his subordinates, but making no sign. Death is a dignitary who when he comes announced is to be received with formal manifestations of respect, even by those most familiar with him." Peyton wishes for some of the army, even just one person, to feel sorry for him because he is about to be hanged. But as Bierce writes, he says that the other soldiers were like stone; their faces expressionless as the noose was slipped around his neck. Bierce believe the army to be savage and heinous and apathetic.
3. "The preparations being complete, the two private soldiers stepped aside and each drew away the plank upon which he had been standing.
The sergeant turned to the captain, saluted and placed himself immediately behind that officer, who in turn moved apart one pace. These movements left the condemned man and the sergeant standing on the two ends of the same plank, which spanned three of the cross-ties
of the bridge. The end upon which the civilian stood almost, but not quite, reached a fourth. This plank had been held in place by the weight of the captain; it was now held by that of the sergeant. At a signal from the former the latter would step aside, the plank would tilt and the condemned man go down between two ties."
Here, Bierce illustrates through his words a vision where Peyton is silently pleading with the captain and the sergeant with his eyes, but not one will even show his pity or remorse.
(THIS IS SHELSEY, by the way (:)
ReplyDeleteDescription: The author depicted the character's feelings, emotions, and thoughts within the textual passage of Owl Creek Bridge. We were showed parts of the main character's past life and his family (his wife). The author, Ambrose Bierce, is able to describe the scene using the senses of the passage’s protagonist. We are able to envision how the characters feel. We realize their roles within the story, just by how they act and are mastered upon by others. We realize fear within the heart of Peyton. As the reader, we feel sadness for the grief his family will fall upon. The description in this story is both intriguing and excellently broadcasted.
“His features were good -- a straight nose, firm mouth, broad forehead, from which his long, dark hair was combed straight back, falling behind his ears to the collar of his well fitting frock coat.” (An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, Ambrose Bierce)
Allusion: Within the story, we are drawn toward the dream that Peyton reminisces upon. At the beginning of the dream Peyton envisions himself running casually toward his wife. Both of there are widely spread-eagle and they seem to have everlasting smiles set upon their faces. This is an allusion, because this is scenario that is often referenced within fairytales and other past time oddities.
“At the bottom of the steps she stands waiting, with a smile of ineffable joy, an attitude of matchless grace and dignity. Ah, how beautiful she is!” (An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, Ambrose Bierce)
Metaphor and Simile: While describing the military reinforcements, the author of this passage describes them as within a comparison to each other and things that stand within nature. The military are compared by their ranks, whether upper or lower, as well as, their physical stance within the setting. The closer guards were those with high military stance and those who were without view were perceived to be of lower stance. It did not appear to be the duty of these two men to know what was occurring at the center of the bridge; they merely blockaded the two ends of the foot planking that traversed it
“It did not appear to be the duty of these two men to know what was occurring at the center of the bridge; they merely blockaded the two ends of the foot planking that traversed it.” (An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, Ambrose Bierce)
Ambrose Bierce doesn’t seem to completely agree with the political stance that the Union side provided for. It is also known that he strongly disagrees with the Confederates. This selection shows that Bierce feels that some of the actions taken by the Union forces were sometimes inappropriate and uncalled for.
1. "Some loose boards laid upon the ties supporting the rails of the railway supplied a footing for him and his executioners--two private soldiers of the Federal army,directed by a sergeant"
ReplyDeleteThis is said to portray they military as executioners. Also I think he might have wanted to say anything you see may be used as a cruel purpose later.
2. Suddenly he heard a sharp report and something struck the water
smartly within a few inches of his head, spattering his face with
spray." This is said to keep the reader interested after it seems that Farquhar is safe. Also it means that again Farquhar is in danger of dying for the third time.
3. "Company! . . . Attention! . . . Shoulder arms! . . . Ready!. . .
Aim! . . . Fire!" After hearing this i realized how Bierce wanted to portray the military as pitiless men who would do anything they had to do whether it is kill, run, or keep watch just on orders. This I realize is just like the Milgram experiments where they want to see if people will inflict pain just because they are told by somebody.
1. "A piece of dancing driftwood caught his attention and his eyes followed it down the current."
ReplyDeleteThis creates suspense because it sounds like foreshadowing that later on in the story he will try to catch it or follow it down the stream and hopefully escape.
2. "From this state he was awakened--ages later, it seemed to him--by the pain of a sharp pressure upon his throat, followed by a sense of suffocation. Keen, poignant agonies seemed to shoot from his neck downward through every fiber of his body and limbs. These pains appeared to flash along well-defined lines of ramification and to beat with an inconceivably rapid periodicity. They seemed like streams of pulsating fire heating him to an intolerable temperature."
This quote makes the reader thinks he is still alive and it creates suspense when he tries to get off the noose and bindings without suffocating underwater.
3. "The man in the water saw the eye of the man on the bridge gazing into his own through the sights of the rifle. He observed that it was a grey eye and remembered having read that grey eyes were keenest, and that all famous marksmen had them. "
Since it is a hard eye to miss, Farquahar is going to have be swift and dodge or outsmart the shooter very well.
1. Ambiguity
ReplyDelete-"What splendid effort!—what magnificent, what superhuman strength! Ah, that was a fine endeavor! Bravo!"
-The execution, the set up, the final thoughts all seemed to be normal and Peyton gets hanged. All of a sudden, he starts performing miraculous feats and starts to actually have a chance to fight certain death. You don't really know what is happening, so you continue to read to get to the bottom of it.
2. Mood
-A whiz and a rattle of grapeshot among the branches high above his head roused him from his dream. The baffled cannoneer had fired him a random farewell. He sprang to his feet, rushed up the sloping bank, and plunged into the forest.
-Every thing goes by really quickly in the story, the setting changes every few paragraphs, and, of course, Peyton is fleeing the whole time. This high speed through out the story keeps the reader's interest and wants them yearning for more.
3. Foreshadowing
-All that day he traveled, laying his course by the rounding sun. The forest seemed interminable; nowhere did he discover a break in it, not even a woodman's road. He had not known that he lived in so wild a region. There was something uncanny in the revelation.
-You start to see Peyton observing the world he is traveling through more closely, and notices that is foreign to him. The reader gets a feeling that Peyton doesn't belong in this world and you realize that something abnormal is going to happen. In this case, the abnormal thing was that the world was a figment of Peyton's imagination.
Device 1: Personification; "The railroad ran straight away into a forest for a hundred yards, then, curving, was lost to view."
ReplyDeleteThis sentence shows personification because the railroad is given human characteristics. Railroads can't really run.
Device 2:Simile; They seemed like streams of pulsating fire heating him to an intolerable temperature.
This is a simile because there is a comparison between being hanged and being burned using the word like.
Device 3: Metaphor;"Encompassed in a luminous cloud, of which he was now merely the fiery heart, without material substance, he swung trough unthinkable arcs of oscillation, like a vast pendulum"
This is a metaphor because it compares Farquhar's role/placement in the cloud to a fiery heart. He's dizzy and described it by saying vast pendulum which is a metaphor also.
"The Yanks are repairing the railroads,"
ReplyDelete- Bierce wanted to inform the reader that the Union was much more industrialized and advanced than the Confederates. Since the Union was already extending their railroads to the south, it demonstrated Union advancements.
"Attention, company! . . Shoulder arms! . . . Ready! . . . Aim! . . . Fire!"
-This quote demonstrated how strict on timing the commanders were. Bierce wanted to inform the reader that commanders wanted everything on time.
"He observed that it was a grey eye and remembered having read that grey eyes were keenest, and that all famous marksmen had them."
- In the story Farquhar said that he read that men with grey eyes were the best marksmen. This built suspense after we were informed of this knowledge. Also, Bierce wanted to tell the reader that probably some of his fellow soldiers were telling him these myths about people.
(Olivia Zane)
ReplyDelete1."Some loose boards laid upon the ties supporting the rails of the railway supplied a footing for him and his executioners - two private soldiers of the Federal army, directed by a sergeant who in civil life may have been a deputy sheriff."
Ambrose Bierce is saying that the leaders in the military are not qualified to be leaders and if the war was not going on they would not trusted to be a leader. A deputy sheriff is a lower rank than a sheriff who is the leader. All in all Bierce was justing trying to say that the leaders were not capable of being good leaders.
2."Death is a dignitary who when he comes announced is to be received with formal manifestations of respect, even by those most familiar with him. In the code of military etiquette silence and fixity are forms of deference."
Ambrose Bierce is saying that in the military people are suppose to accept and respect death. He is showing that the military doesn't see that death is a big deal which makes them robots wih no feelings who do not realize they are killing someone with people who love him and emotions.
3."Evidently this was no vulgar assassin. The liberal military code makes provision for hanging many kinds of persons, and gentlemen are not excluded."
Ambrose Bierce thinks that the military is ruthless but fair at the same time. The military will kill anyone they view as a threat which perhaps include small but they also don't show prefrence which is admirable. The military is straightlaced and has rules and procedures that are followed with not exceptions.
"A piece of dancing
ReplyDeletedriftwood caught his attention and his eyes followed it down the current."
*This quote shows personification-the dancing driftwood-which creates a stronger image of how the wood was drifting along the river's current.
*This quote also shows some foreshadowing. The driftwood flowing along the river can be seen as a sign that perhaps Farguhar is finding a way to move on, or escape.
"What splendid effort!--what magnificent, what superhuman strength! Ah, that was a fine endeavor! Bravo! The cord fell away; his arms parted and floated upward, the hands dimly seen on each side in the growing light."
*The personification of the "growing" light in this quote also have an important part in creating the suspense in this story. It creates an image that the he is nearing the light, both in a literal and maybe a symbolized way. Light can often times be considered a symbol for freedom, and by nearing the growing light, one can infer that Farquhar is possibly reaching a true point of escape, along with the quote above about the driftwood.
Device 1: Personification:"His neck ached horribly; his brain was on fire, his
ReplyDeleteheart, which had been fluttering faintly, gave a great leap, trying to
force itself out at his mouth." There are two examples of personification in this quote.
Device 2: Simile: "Suddenly he felt himself whirled round and round--spinning like a top."
Device 3: Foreshadowing: "The lady had now brought the water, which the soldier drank. He
thanked her ceremoniously, bowed to her husband and rode away. An
hour later, after nightfall, he repassed the plantation, going
northward in the direction from which he had come. He was a Federal
scout."
I think the author thought that the military could be harsh sometimes, and that they punished people that didn't deserve to be punished. He thinks this because of how he describes Peyton Farquhar- "and had a kindly expression which one would hardly have expected in one whose neck was in the hemp. Evidently this was no vulgar assassin." This quote shows that the author does not think that Farquhar would be the type of person that deserves execution
ReplyDeleteAlso, when the author describes Farquhar when he's about to be hung, he doesn't describe him as just any man. He says "He closed his eyes in order to fix his last thoughts upon his wife and children." This shows that the author realizes that most of these men that were hung in war had wives and children and friends, and he has respect for them.
Last, the author's writing "The preparations being complete, the two private soldiers stepped aside and each drew away the plank upon which he had been standing. The sergeant turned to the captain, saluted and placed himself immediately behind that officer, who in turn moved apart one pace. " shows how orderly he views the military and that they follow very strict directions.
1. it is ironic that the second he reaches his wife he dies
ReplyDelete2.hyperbole that all of the trees on his walk back home were straight and erect
3. He calls the sound of the cannon fire a diminuendo as it soars over his head
??????????????
ReplyDelete