Ambrose Bierce’s “Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” begins with a 3rd person objective point of view. The setting is explained, up until the plank is removed. The narrator describes the scene and relates it to circumstances from outside the story. It is essentially setting up the rest of the story without giving away any details. Bierce is instead giving the reader background information, probably to provide a better understanding of what is to come. Starting the story this way draws the reader in, and leaves them curious, especially in the situation described.
The end of the story is in first person, which helps give the reader great insight as the character fights for his life. We can feel what he is feeling, and hear his thoughts as he nears death. It is described in a lot of detail how he feels and what he is going through. This helps the reader sympathize with the character, and it gives great dramatic effect. The very end of the story then switches back to third person point of view. The constant changes in point of view are important because it confuses the reader, leaving he or she puzzled as to what and when things are going on. Those feelings mirror the feelings of the main character, which leaves the reader with a connection to the main character.
There is also a flashback part of the story, before the reader finds out that the main character is dead. The chronology of this story also helps to fog the reader’s mind a bit. The flashback makes the reader forget the current, unfortunate, events. The character has illusions in this flashback, which also help to provide insight on a near-death experience. We see the character appreciating the simpler things in life, specifically nature, rather than trying to change what is happening to him. This is a unique way to see it, but helps the reader to look on the brighter side of an awful situation.
No comments:
Post a Comment