Ambrose Bierces’ An Occurence At Owl Creek Bridge Essay -- Occurence O

Ambrose Bierces Story An Occurrence at schnoz creek coupleAmbrose Bierces story An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge tells the story of a confederate secessionist, who is being hanged by Union troops. At the time of the hanging, the soldiers barf him from the bridge. Luckily, just as he falls the rope snaps and the man dives into the sluggish stream. He miraculously takes off his ropes and swims away. When he reaches the bank of the creek, he runs for what seems care forever. He finally reaches home, where his family is waiting so anxiously for him. However, Bierce chooses to surround this intriguing tell with elements that carry visual, concrete, and intangible symbolism. The symbolic elements of An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge imply that the protagonist, Peyton Fahrquhar, is out of touch with reality, which evidently leads to the added twist at the end of the story. Many of the symbols in the story have to do with visual representation. For example, Bierce foc employments on on e specific color, which is fair-haired(a). Gray is the color of the Confederate soldiers uniforms. It is the also the color the Union soldier wears to deceive Fahrquhar. Gray is the color of the figures he sees in the distance in his delusion. It is also the color of the sharpshooter that misses him. Since canescent is bear oned so often, the reader can assume that it has a meaning outside its visual representation. First, the color gray is used to expose the mood of the story. Generally, when one think of the color gray, a poignant feeling arouses. Linking the two, the mood of the story is therefore also distressing. Secondly, the color gray is used to symbolize Fahrquhars role a middle man without much sense or direction. In the story, the first mention of the color is used to describe him. He wore a moustache and pointer beard, but no whiskers his eyes were large and dark grey The reader should also notice that Fahrquar is the totally one who sees gray, which means the col or, represents him. Gray is the intermediate in character and position. Like Fahrquar, who is considered to be in the middle of the situation, only trying to do what he believes is right. Bierce use of symbolism is far great than the very concept of the story. He also uses solid or concrete objects to convey his hidden messages. For example his constant mention of the Bridge. Obviously it... ...ot so bad but I do not wish to be blastoff. No I will not be shot that is not fair. In Fahrquars hallucination, he gets mad at the thought of being shot after he managed to escape his hanging. Depression kicks in when Bierce says By decline he was fatigued, footsore, and famished. He knew it (his neck) had a circle of black where the rope had bruised it. Fahrquar is tired and confused. This is a clear sign that death is near, leading him into depression, which sheds light on his unsurmountable endurance. Acceptance occurs when Bierce says, he has merely recovered from a delirium and sees home all bright and beautiful This clearly shows that Fahrquar has accepted what is happening, almost as if he has given up. He finally enters the last stage of his symbolic dying process. Bierce says, then all is dark and silentPeyton Fahrquar was dead An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge is riddled with symbolic meaning. Bierce creates a realistic disguise of events until the very end of the story, where he allows the reader to realize that Fahrquars escape did not actually occur. He uses symbols to convey the true meaning of this breathtaking story Perception is Reality.