occurrence at owl creek (2.2) (1)

7/24/2019 Occurrence at Owl Creek (2.2) (1)

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Dean 1

Blake Dean

Dr. Kerri Allen

English 1102-09

15 April 2015

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Brige!" Blening #llusi$n an %ealit&

#n An Occurrence at Owl Creek Brige'! A()r$se Bierce tells the st$r& $* a (an in

n$rthern Ala)a(a na(e +e&t$n ,aruhar wh$ is )eing hange. Bierce separates the st$r& int$

three secti$ns. hr$ugh these three secti$ns he intr$uces ,aruhar' tells $* his hanging' an

surprises the reaers with ,aruhar/s suen eath. hr$ugh$ut the st$r&' Bierce eplains the

reas$n ,aruhar is put t$ eath an the eents that lea up t$ his eath. Bierce gies the narrat$r

a speci*ic p$int $* iew an a uniue structure *$r his st$r& Bierce (akes the reaer )eliee all

the eents that un*$l are realit& when in *act s$(e are ,aruhar/s illusi$ns. #n An Occurrence

at Owl Creek Brige'! Bierce sh$ws that the line )etween realit& an illusi$n can )e )lurre )&

perspectie.

Bierce gies the narrat$r a speci*ic p$int $* iew t$ sh$w h$w perspectie can alter a

reaer/s percepti$n $* a character/s realit&. he narrat$r tells this st$r& in a istant (anner with

n$ pers$nal c$nnecti$n t$ the characters $r eents. ,$r ea(ple' when the narrat$r sa&s' As

+e&t$n ,aruhar *ell straight $wnwar thr$ugh the )rige he l$st c$nsci$usness an was as $ne

alrea& ea.! 3Bierce 441 #* the narrat$r ha a pers$nal c$nnecti$n t$ an& $* the characters'

,aruhar *alling t$ his e(ise w$ul n$t )e t$l in such a *actual an c$l wa&. #n the *irst an

sec$n secti$n' the narrat$r tells h$w the eents un*$l )ut $es n$t share (an& internal th$ughts

$r *eelings $* the characters. 6$weer' in the thir secti$n' reaers learn that the narrat$r is

telling $* the illusi$ns that ,aruhar is eperiencing right )e*$re he ies. B& using a istant


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narrat$r' Bierce (akes the narrat$r see( relia)le t$ the reaers. 7sing a narrat$r wh$ is n$t

pers$nall& c$nnecte t$ the st$r&' Bierce sea(lessl& )lens realit& an illusi$n with$ut the reaer

)eing aware. he perspectie that Bierce presents is $ne with a t$ne $* certaint& s$ that the

reaer $es n$t uesti$n the realit& $* the st$r& )eing t$l.

Bierce creates an un$rth$$ structure *$r An Occurrence at Owl Creek Brige.! B&

placing the rising acti$n )e*$re the ep$siti$n' Bierce heightens the reaer/s curi$sit& in the

$utc$(e $* the st$r&. his heightene sense $* curi$sit& causes the reaer t$ accept ,aruhar/s

st$r& as *act an n$t uesti$n the realit& $* the ($(ents )e*$re his eath. Bierce separates his

st$r& int$ three parts' each part h$ling a i**erent purp$se. he *irst secti$n tells $* the hanging

$* an unkn$wn character' this captiates &$ur reaers an )uils curi$sit&. he narrat$r states'

he (an wh$ was engage in )eing hange was apparentl& a)$ut thirt&-*ie &ears $* age. 6e

was a ciilian' i* $ne (ight 8uge *r$( his ha)it' which was that $* a planter! 3Bierce 49. he

auth$r is giing the reaer in*$r(ati$n a)$ut the (an )eing hange s$ that the reaers )egin t$

ask the(seles wh& an $rinar& planter is )eing hange. 7sing u$tes like this $ne' Bierce is

heightening the curi$sit& $* the reaer. he *irst secti$n als$ plants uesti$ns int$ the (ins $*

the reaers a)$ut the *ate $* ,aruhar an wh& he is )eing hange in the *irst place.

he sec$n secti$n intr$uces ,aruhar an eplains the eents leaing up t$ his

hanging. his secti$n clari*ies the reaer/s uesti$ns *r$( the *irst secti$n an (akes the reaers

)eliee that the narrat$r is trustw$rth&. he narrat$r states' :$ serice was t$$ hu()le *$r hi(

t$ per*$r( in the ai $* the ;$uth' n$ aenture t$ peril$us *$r hi( t$ unertake i* c$nsistent

with the character $* a ciilian wh$ was at heart a s$lier

reaers an insight int$ the ($tiati$ns $* ,aruhar. B& sh$wing his patri$tis( an hu(ilit&' the


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auth$r is sh$wing the reaer that ,aruhar is a trustw$rth& st$r&teller. =aking the reaer )eliee

that ,aruhar is trustw$rth& all$ws the ening $* the st$r& t$ )e ($re e**ectie.

he thir secti$n c$ntinues the telling $* the hanging )ut als$ as the elusi$n ,aruhar

eperiences 8ust ($(ents )e*$re his eath. he narrat$r escri)es the ($(ents )e*$re

,aruhar/s eath sa&ing' As he is a)$ut t$ clasp her he *eels a stunning )l$w up$n the )ack $*

the neck a )lining white light )la>es all a)$ut hi( with a s$un like the sh$ck $* a cann$n ?

then all is arkness an silence@ +e&t$n ,ahruhar was ea

(akes the en $* the st$r& ($re ra(atic an sh$cking t$ the reaer. his kin $* rea( that

,aruhar eperiences are what ,rench hist$rian' >etan $$r$ escri)es as the uncann&!.

he uncann& is where the reaer )eliees the laws $* realit& re(ain intact an per(it an

eplanati$n $* the phen$(ena escri)e.! 3;t$iche** 50 B& eplaining ,aruhar/s rea(

seuence in realistic etail' he (anipulates the reaer int$ )elieing that the rea( is in *act

realit&. hr$ugh his structure $* the st$r& an realistic st$r&telling' Bierce was a)le t$ e**ectiel&

surprise the reaers with the eath $* ,aruhar.

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Brige! sh$ws that the perspectie thr$ugh which a st$r&

is t$l can in*luence the reaer/s percepti$n $* a character/s realit&. B& using a speci*ic p$int $*

iew *$r the narrat$r' Bierce lets the reaer )eliee the st$r& )eing t$l s$ that the en $* the

st$r& is surprising *$r the reaer. Als$' Bierce uses a uniue structure t$ intrigue the reaer an

c$nince the( that the illusi$n ,aruhar eperiences is realit& instea $* the *icti$n it turns $ut t$

)e. Each secti$n $* his st$r& has a speci*ic purp$se *$r the part $* the st$r& it tells. hr$ugh his

structure an realistic st$r&telling' Bierce (akes the auience )eliee the narrat$r causing the

ening t$ c$(e as a surprise. B& using these tw$ ele(ents' Bierce sh$ws the i(p$rtance $*

perspectie an h$w the wa& a st$r& is t$l greatl& in*luences h$w the reaer perceies the st$r&.


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$rks Cite

Bierce' A()r$se. An Occurrence at Owl Creek Brige! he :$rt$n #ntr$ucti$n t$ iterature.

11the. E Kell& . =a&s :ew F$rk" .. :$rt$n' 201. 4G-4. +rint.

;t$iche**' +eter. HI;$(ething 7ncann&I" he Drea( ;tructure #n A()r$se BierceIs IAn

Occurrence At Owl Creek Brige.I.H Studies In Short Fiction 3199" 9.Literature

Resource Center. e). 15 Apr. 2015.

occurrence at owl creek (2.2) (1)

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