Exploring the Text

1. Consider the title of the story: “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.” Why “an” and not “the”? Why the general, objective word “occurrence”? Note a few other examples of the flat, objective nature of the narration. What effect(s) does Ambrose Bierce achieve by choosing to narrate in this way?

   Question

   ALMF/kS1zzW73MouRsoXk1h0lKY=

   Exploring the Text: - Consider the title of the story: “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.” Why “an” and not “the”? Why the general, objective word “occurrence”? Note a few other examples of the flat, objective nature of the narration. What effect(s) does Ambrose Bierce achieve by choosing to narrate in this way?
2. This story is notable for the vivid quality of its description. Find three examples of strong visual description. How do such appeals to the sense of sight contribute to the author’s purpose?

   Question

   ALMF/kS1zzW73MouRsoXk1h0lKY=

   Exploring the Text: - This story is notable for the vivid quality of its description. Find three examples of strong visual description. How do such appeals to the sense of sight contribute to the author’s purpose?
3. What is the purpose of section II of the story, which shifts in time from sections I and III?

   Question

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   Exploring the Text: - What is the purpose of section II of the story, which shifts in time from sections I and III?
4. To what extent were you surprised by the ending of the story? Specifically, what was your reaction to the final sentence? What do you think that Bierce intended or did not intend this story to be about?

   Question

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   Exploring the Text: - To what extent were you surprised by the ending of the story? Specifically, what was your reaction to the final sentence? What do you think that Bierce intended or did not intend this story to be about?
5. What clues to the ending of the story did you find as you first read it? Upon rereading, what additional clues do you see? Pay particular attention to paragraphs 18–20.

   Question

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   Exploring the Text: - What clues to the ending of the story did you find as you first read it? Upon rereading, what additional clues do you see? Pay particular attention to paragraphs 18–20.
6. Reviewing a new collected edition of Bierce’s works in the May 2012 edition of the New York Review of Books, literary critic Michael Dirda writes:Throughout these gruesome episodes of war, there is no armor against fate, as seeming coincidence assumes the character of tragic destiny. Bierce himself always insisted that most of his Civil War fiction was based on fact. As he wrote in a letter, “It commonly occurs that in my poor little battle-yarns the incidents that come in for special reprobation by the critics as ‘improbable’ and even ‘impossible’ are transcripts from memory—things that actually occurred before my eyes.” The Battle of Shiloh, for instance, took place near Owl Creek.

   Do you regard the story as “improbable” or “impossible”? Or do you see it as realistic? What in the story would lead the reader to regard it as having been based on fact? Explain.

   Question

   ALMF/kS1zzW73MouRsoXk1h0lKY=

   Exploring the Text: - Reviewing a new collected edition of Bierce’s works in the May 2012 edition of the New York Review of Books, literary critic Michael Dirda writes:Throughout these gruesome episodes of war, there is no armor against fate, as seeming coincidence assumes the character of tragic destiny. Bierce himself always insisted that most of his Civil War fiction was based on fact. As he wrote in a letter, “It commonly occurs that in my poor little battle-yarns the incidents that come in for special reprobation by the critics as ‘improbable’ and even ‘impossible’ are transcripts from memory—things that actually occurred before my eyes.” The Battle of Shiloh, for instance, took place near Owl Creek.Do you regard the story as “improbable” or “impossible”? Or do you see it as realistic? What in the story would lead the reader to regard it as having been based on fact? Explain.
7. Modern American writer Kurt Vonnegut Jr. called “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” the greatest American short story. What might account for his estimation? Do you agree? Why or why not?

   Question

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   Exploring the Text: - Modern American writer Kurt Vonnegut Jr. called “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” the greatest American short story. What might account for his estimation? Do you agree? Why or why not?
8. Watch French director Robert Enrico’s 1962 short film (24 minutes) “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,” which aired on The Twilight Zone in 1964. The film won awards at both the Cannes Film Festival and the Academy Awards. Compare and contrast the film with the short story.

   Question

   ALMF/kS1zzW73MouRsoXk1h0lKY=

   Exploring the Text: - Watch French director Robert Enrico’s 1962 short film (24 minutes) “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,” which aired on The Twilight Zone in 1964. The film won awards at both the Cannes Film Festival and the Academy Awards. Compare and contrast the film with the short story.