12/16/11

Bierce uses subtle instances of foreshadowing in “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” to gesture to the gap between reality and illusion that widens throughout the story. Bierce’s story hinges heavily on the unexpected final revelation—that Farquhar, far from escaping, has actually been hanged. Although Bierce intends the unexpected ending to startle the readers’ assumptions, he peppers his story with various clues to signal in advance the unreliable and completely fantastical nature of the concluding section. For example, the description of the soldiers’ weapons in the first section—with the company of infantrymen holding their guns at “parade rest” with the butts to the ground and the commanding officer standing with the point of his sword also to the ground—stands in stark contrast to the rounds fired and volley of shots lobbied at Farquhar during his imagined escape. The weapons are in truth merely ceremonial and harmless, and Farquhar is and remains in the company’s custody throughout.