Ambrose Bierce wrote An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge in 1890, 70 years after the publication of Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. By this time, Gothic literature - which focuses heavily on setting, mood and plenty of words - had ceased to be as popular as it once was. One clear demonstration of this is in the descriptions used; while Irving described his characters through many past events, Bierce tells little about his characters' past lives, focusing primarily on the story being told.
In Sleepy Hollow, Irving focuses strongly on characters and mood. In Owl Creek Bridge, by contrast, Bierce focuses entirely on the rapid events of a few minutes (with the exception of a short back-story).
The stories are are not without similarities, however, as there are common themes. For example, both stories contain significant delusions. The theme of danger is also shared between them, to an extent; in Sleepy Hollow, Ichabod Crane imagines that he is in great danger, but in Owl Creek, Payton Farquhar actually is killed. Both stories also feature great changes in the lives of their protagonists, as Crane relocates to another city and Farquhar relocates to the afterlife.
As far as my personal preferences, I thought Mr. Bierce's story to be the superior of the two. Occurrance at Owl Creek Bridge is much more clearly defined and does not waste words like The Legend of Sleepy Hollow did, telling a more substantial story in a shorter time.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Farquhar's Military Service (Job #4)
At the beginning of chapter II, we read that Farquhar was unable to serve in the Confederate army due to "circumstances of an imperious
nature, which it is unnecessary to relate here." What might these circumstances have been?
Words (Job #3)
Imperious: Circumstances of an imperious
nature, which it is unnecessary to relate here, had prevented him from
taking service with that gallant army... (II)
Picket: "Is there no force on this side of the creek?"
"Only a picket post half a mile out, on the railroad, and a single sentinel at this end of the bridge. (II)
Ramification: 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. (III)
Plash: Then all at once, with terrible suddenness, the light about him shot upward with the noise of a loud plash; a frightful roaring was in his ears, and all was cold and dark.(III)
Preternaturally: He was now in full possession of his physical senses. They were, indeed, preternaturally keen and alert. (III)
Picket: "Is there no force on this side of the creek?"
"Only a picket post half a mile out, on the railroad, and a single sentinel at this end of the bridge. (II)
Ramification: 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. (III)
Plash: Then all at once, with terrible suddenness, the light about him shot upward with the noise of a loud plash; a frightful roaring was in his ears, and all was cold and dark.(III)
Preternaturally: He was now in full possession of his physical senses. They were, indeed, preternaturally keen and alert. (III)
Risk (Job #2)
How did Peyton Farquhar come to his early demise? He took a foolish risk, letting his emotions get in the way of his reasoning. Farquhar was desperate to be a hero, so much that he didn't realize that the story the "confederate" soldier told him was too perfect to be true.
In the same way, people have a tendency to take a risk to try to improve their life - but sometimes they don't think long enough about the possible results of their decision. For example, many people through history have had great ideas, yet these same people have often gone broke trying to market their ideas because they lacked the business sense to make money from their idea.
If, however, you carefully consider the risk in advance and discuss it with intelligent people, you are much less likely to find yourself swinging from a rope over Owl Creek.
In the same way, people have a tendency to take a risk to try to improve their life - but sometimes they don't think long enough about the possible results of their decision. For example, many people through history have had great ideas, yet these same people have often gone broke trying to market their ideas because they lacked the business sense to make money from their idea.
If, however, you carefully consider the risk in advance and discuss it with intelligent people, you are much less likely to find yourself swinging from a rope over Owl Creek.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
The Federal Scout (Job #1)
"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" (Chapter II)
This passage is the end of chapter II, which explains how Farquhar found himself in the state described at the beginning of the story. I found it significant because it has something to say about the nature of war.
Farquhar was a politician in some capacity, a strong advocate of southern succession, who wished for glory more than anything. Farquhar did everything he could think of in service to the Confederation during the war, applying the philosophy of "all's fair in love and war."
At some point, Farquhar's actions annoyed the Union army so much that a spy was sent to put an end to him. The scout knew enough about Farquhar to expect that he would ignore prudence and try to be a hero. In this assumption he was absolutely correct, allowing the Union army to execute Farquhar without the spy even blowing his cover.
This passage is the end of chapter II, which explains how Farquhar found himself in the state described at the beginning of the story. I found it significant because it has something to say about the nature of war.
Farquhar was a politician in some capacity, a strong advocate of southern succession, who wished for glory more than anything. Farquhar did everything he could think of in service to the Confederation during the war, applying the philosophy of "all's fair in love and war."
At some point, Farquhar's actions annoyed the Union army so much that a spy was sent to put an end to him. The scout knew enough about Farquhar to expect that he would ignore prudence and try to be a hero. In this assumption he was absolutely correct, allowing the Union army to execute Farquhar without the spy even blowing his cover.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)