Essays on Ambrose Bierce

Introduction

Ambrose Bierce is a prominent author known for his many works one of which is An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge. This is the story of Peyton Farquhar a planter from the South. The story is set during the civil war. Peyton has been sentenced to hang by the Union Army for his failed attempt at destroying the Owl Creek railroad bridge. The author leads the reader to believe that Peyton escapes the hanging by falling into the river below and reunites with his wife and children at his farm. This is not the case since it is revealed ...

“A friend is an investigator upon the slide of whose microscope we live, move and have our being”.

The Devil’s Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce I’ll start by saying that friendship is an essential part of a person’s life. In a sense, friends can be considered soulmates as we choose them in accord with certain criteria. We probably do not realize that such a list of criteria exists, but we subliminally consult it while choosing friends. As a result, only those who “match” us (in accord with that list) become really close. In my opinion, every person has their own definition of friendship and, therefore, qualities of a real friendship may differ from person to ...

Ambrose Bierce's "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” is one of the most important American short stories. Set during the American Civil War, it narrates the tale of a Southerner who is hung for treason after trying to go against the Union. Throughout the whole tale, this character, Farquhar Peyton, is seen longing for liberty as he is alienated to Southern aspirations, which serves as a sharp counterpoint to the situation of slaves in the Confederate States. One of the main motifs of the story is the main character’s yearning for freedom. From the beginning paragraph, Farquhar’s aspirations ...

Themes in “Barn Burning” and “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge”

William Faulkner and Ambrose Bierce are both extraordinary writers, and they each have many publications that cover a variety of themes. Of interest are William Faulkner’s short story, “Barn Burning,” and Ambrose Bierce’s short story, “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.” Although both short stories comment on a variety of values and ideas, they are both connected by the very powerful theme of loyalty versus principle. Both stories share several similarities, but the strongest similarity is how they tackle the theme of loyalty versus morality. In fact, both of these stories tackle this theme through the protagonist of ...

The Coup De Grace by Ambrose Bierce

What are the two main themes of the story?

The main themes of this short story are brutality of nature and the feeling of horror. Ambrose Bierce has used these two themes to bring out the desired effect of horror, conflict, and sympathy in the ending. The setting of the story is introduced as a place of horror. His choice of words confirms the theme of horror. He says that there was fighting and that the taste of battle was still in the air (Bierce, 1862). Such an introduction makes one fear of the horror that might be lurking. The ...