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Bierce's Use Of Suspense Essay

593 Words3 Pages

One of the most striking stylistic devices used in the story is Bierce's use of suspense.
Throughout this story, Bierce creates a sense of unease and uncertainty as the protagonist, Peyton
Farquhar, faces execution for his alleged involvement in confederate sabotage. “The man who was engaged in being hanged was apparently about thirty-five years of age. He was a civilian, if one might judge from his habit, which was that of a planter”(page 482). This suspense is significantly increased by using short, staccato sentences that convey a sense of urgency and tension. For example, "He felt a stunning blow upon the back of the neck; a blinding white light blazed all about him with a sound like the shock of a cannon”(page 489). This sentence …show more content…

Throughout the story, Bierce uses streams of consciousness to convey
Farquhar's inner monologue and the intensity of his thoughts and feelings. This allows the reader
Thesis
Thesis ? to understand Farquhar's mental state and experience the story's events from his perspective. For example, "His sensations now were dull and oppressive, the time seemed to have stopped, his soul was paralyzed”.(page 484) This description of Farquhar's state of mind, combined with vivid and sensory language, creates a powerful and passionate experience for the reader. Finally, Bierce's use of unexpected twists is another crucial element of the story's meaning. The story's central twist that Farquhar's entire experience of his execution and escape is shown to have taken place in his mind is a testament to Bierce's ability to manipulate the reader's expectations. This unexpected twist creates a sense of disorientation. It forces the reader to re- evaluate their understanding of the story's events, which contributes to the story's meaning by highlighting the subjective nature of reality and the power of the mind. In conclusion, Ambrose Bierce's "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" uses

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