The Beauty of Life

The Beauty of Life The short story, "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" by Ambrose Bierce, has many profound implications for the reader. During the main character's hallucination before he is hung, he, as well as the reader, receive a confirmation of the beauty and value of life and a balance to the emotional and disturbed nature of the "real" time of the story, which presents the world, that of the civil war south, as …

…destroying Owl Creek Bridge. The thought does not to even cross his mind. The events of his death-vision have lead to what we might see as transcendent state. He moved from the worries of the physical world, disregarding the importance of his physical safety even, concentrating on the love and longing he felt for his wife and family. In this way, we can see that the author is showing us the spiritual redemption of Peyton.