The Shelter in Fantasy: A Structuralist's View of "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge"

Ambrose Bierse's An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge portrays an execution scene in which Peyton Farquhar, a Confederate, is hanged by Federals in northern Alabama during the Civil War. The story penetrates into the Confederate's mind and reveals his reflection before his death. The story can be interpreted through uncovering the binary oppositions. The major binary opposition dominating throughout the story is reality versus fantasy. Under this binary opposition, other binary oppositions, including freedom/imprisonment, …

…his fantasies, he gains power and can actualize his hope to return home. The binary opposition of reality versus fantasy is dominant throughout the story as in fantasy, other binary oppositions like freedom/imprisonment, powerful/powerless and hope/disillusionment can be operated. However, his escape is futile as he can only escape the reality temporarily. The reality would finally come and offset all his fantasy. Death is the final reality and wakes him up forever.