An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

Throughout '"'An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,'"' Ambrose Bierce tells not only of humanity"'"s will to survive, but also of the willingness to become greater than, and more powerful than that which is natural. Through the illusion of Payton Farquhar we are shown the natural human desire to become victorious. The Union Army during the American Civil War of the 1860"'"s proceeded to hang a civilian, Farquhar, because of his attempt to aid the Confederate forces. Before Farquhar paid the ultimate price, however, his mind takes him through a heroic escape. Bierce does an excellent job of describing the escape in a dream-like fashion. He shows the mind"'"s ability to escape reality, and to escape the inevitable.
The mind is a powerful source for the human experience. Farquhar knew that his time in warfare would come, '"'That opportunity, he felt, would come, as it comes to all in warfare.'"' He saw his opportunity when a disguised federal scout tricked him into involvement at Ow...