An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, Exercises of Literature

Download An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge and more Exercises Literature in PDF only on Docsity! “An  Occurrence  at  Owl  Creek  Bridge”       Response  to  Literature     Answer  the  following  questions  on  a  separate  piece  of  paper.  Follow  the  response  to   literature  guidelines  given  by  your  teacher.     1.  In  Section  I,  Bierce  includes  few  details  about  the  condemned  man  and  does  not   reveal  the  reason  why  he  is  being  hanged.  How  does  this  help  create  suspense?     2.  In  what  ways  are  the  condemned  man's  perceptions  of  time  and  motion  distorted   as  he  is  waiting  to  be  hanged?  Why  are  his  distorted  perceptions  important?     3.  Consider  Bierce’s  descriptions  of  the  sentinels  on  the  bridge.    How  does  their   indifference  /  inaction  toward  the  events  taking  place  present  Bierce’s  views  on  the   military?     4.  What  is  the  significance  of  the  man’s  perception  of  his  ticking  watch?     5.  In  Section  II,  Bierce  finally  introduces  Peyton  Farquhar.    Why  place  this   information  in  the  middle  of  the  story,  and  in  a  flashback?      How  does  this  authorial   decision  contribute  to  suspense  and  our  sympathies  toward  Farquhar?     6.    Why  was  Farquhar  captured?    Why  did  the  Federal  scout  lie?     7.    As  the  reader,  when  do  you  begin  to  sympathize  with  Farquhar  –  before  or  after   his  introduction  in  Section  II?    Why?     8.  What  details  in  Part  III  suggest  that  Farquhar's  journey  occurs  in  his  mind?  How  is   the  journey  connected  with  the  plan  of  escape  that  occurs  to  him  moments  before  he   is  hanged?     9.  Explain  whether  you  think  the  portrayal  of  Farquhar's  escape  and  final  thoughts   is  realistic.    Consider  the  following:  Farquhar’s  heightened,  hyper-­‐realistic  senses,   his  ability  to  dodge  gunfire,  his  family,  etc.     10.    What  is  the  ultimate  fate  of  Peyton  Farquhar?    About  how  long  did  it  truly  take   for  the  events  of  the  story  to  unfold?     11.  Why  is  the  limited  third-­‐person  point  of  view  appropriate  for  this  story?  How   might  the  story  be  different  if  Bierce  had  used  an  omniscient  third-­‐person  narrator?     12.  How  does  Bierce's  use  of  flashback  contribute  to  the  effectiveness  of  the  story?