Post #4

While reading Ambrose Bierce's "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" I noticed how Bierce has us go back and forth through time. I wasn't sure why he did this, but then I thought to myself how would the story be different if Bierce had put this short story in chronological order starting at part two. The story would definitely have a slower pace and it may cause some readers to give up on the story. Also with the beginning starting at the bridge we do not know much about the victim, we just think he is a bad guy and not a family man. Lastly, towards the end of the story Bierce adds one last flash back or dream to the end of the story to shed some light on Peyton Farquhar's family. I feel that Bierce does this to stir up some sympathy for his main character.

Throughout Ambrose Bierce's "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge", Bierce chooses to change to point of view often. The story begins on a bridge and the narrator is a 3rd person objective mode and then as the story progresses the narrator becomes more subjective. We know this because the narrator begins to explain the feelings and thoughts of the characters. Then as the rope is being cut down we start to get a perspective more from Farquhar's point of view. A lot of thinking to himself and speaking out loud about how he needs to escape and about how much pain he is in. The adjustments throughout the story to the point of view add detail and allows the reader more knowledge because the narrator can give the reader more knowledge.