regeneration
Owl Creek Bridge vs. A Madonna of the TrenchesI chose to compare and contrast An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce to A Madonna of the Trenches by Rudyard Kipling. I chose to compare these two stories because they both stirred up the same emotion in me when I read them. In both cases I felt myself strongly supporting the dying man, and wishing his success in his endeavor. It was interesting, but also somewhat expected, to note that in both stories, the hero (I'll call him a hero, rather than a victim) focused on something very dear to himself, at the hour of his death. Bierce's story is filled with vivid imagery and clear descriptions, while Kipling's tale takes a lot more concentration to get the gist of the story. In An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge, Bierce presents a very tranquil and pastoral backdrop for his story of a cold and brutal execution of a civilian during the Civil War. The doomed man is an unlikely target for military execution. He is about thirty-five years old and is a well-to-do gentleman farmer from Alabama. He was set up by a Federal scout to interfere with Federal railroad repairs, and is now facing the justice of his enemy. The story appeals to the senses. It is easy to visuali
Word Count: 1039. In the conclusion of An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge, Farquhar seems to have trouble maintaining his fantasy, and becomes confused as he nears his journey' end. These three meet in a Masonic lodge in England, but the true story told by them unfolded in World War I at Butcher's Row in French End. His hearing sharpens to allow him to hear gnats humming and the wind in the branches sounded like harps. Strangwick knew him from childhood and always referred to him as Uncle John. The tone was bleak and depressing, and he hinted at the many horrors of war that could cause a man to become unhinged. Bierce describes how the soldiers appear to be gigantically grotesque and horrible to Farquhar as they fire upon him during his escape attempt. A Madonna of the Trenches is narrated by a crusty ex-soldier, an aging doctor, and young veteran, Clem Strangwick. Strangwick's rambling narrative exposes another unlikely victim/hero in the character of Godsoe. Suddenly, his delirium clears as he finds himself home and is about to take his wife into his arms. The sentinels and executioners on the bridge are unnaturally formal and erect. Bierce romanticizes the sensations Farquhar experiences. He sees with heightened visual acuity and beauty, noticing colors in dewdrops and jewels in grains of sand. The dreadful realization that time was running out for him, caused Farquhar to enter his own hallucination or time warp, and fantasize about his escape.
Common topics in this essay:
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Auntie Armine,
Uncle John,
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Rudyard Kipling,
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doctor ex-soldier,
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Acceptance Essays
