I need help on a point of view on a book!!
I seriously need some help! I am craming for my EXAMS tomorrow and I need to know about a book called " An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge".
Well really I know about the book but I need to know the
1. Point of View
2.Theme
3. Plot....
and that is about it..if I get that much info then I will be good to go...if any of you have any idea on any of this plss plss email me or post it up...Thanks A Bunch!!
Love, A Eager Student
An excellent short story by Ambrose Bierce! I hope you, at least, had the pleasure of reading the piece.
Anyway, the point of view, if I remember correctly, is third-person, but, strangely, through the perspective of the main character being executed; the storyline follows his hallucinations, wishes, and fantasies, but still tells through a third-person voice.
The plot takes place during Civil War times, and a man (I cannot remember his name) is being executed by hanging over the Owl Creek. While the floorboards drop under his feet, the noose breaks, and the protagonist falls into the river below as soldiers fire guns at him; he fantasizes about escaping into the forest, and seeing his family and friends again. Towards the conclusion of the story, however, the reader finds that from the point the noose breaks, the whole story is one hallucination - perhaps the character's life "flashing before his eyes."
The theme seems subjective, but may entail that one ought to never wholly depend on one's senses, and that in a life-or-death situation, strange occurrences appear bound to happen.
Good luck!
[QUOTE=mono] I hope you, at least, had the pleasure of reading the piece.
QUOTE]
Based on the questions, I'm not sure the poster even is in possession of the book.
[QUOTE=Tabac]Book? Hell, it's only a short story that only takes probably twenty minutes to read at the most. Yes, yes, as we've been constantly sermonized about though, "this is an open and friendly forum where anyone asking for help is welcome". Therefore, I won't say what I'd like to say.Originally Posted by mono
I hope you, at least, had the pleasure of reading the piece.
QUOTE]
Based on the questions, I'm not sure the poster even is in possession of the book.
"Friends stab you in the front" --Oscar Wilde
Personally I like her signoff. "A Eager Student" who can't be bothered to read a short story?
For some reason, as I read this thread, I am reminded of the first page of "The Great Gatsby:"
"Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone just remember that all the people in this world have not had the advantages that you've had."
A wise professor of Russian, Vladimir, once commented to me that "there is no such thing as a foolish question, only foolish answers, because, if it is a question FOR YOU, then it is a legitimate question." I think that Professor Vladimir was always trying to encourage students to speak up and speak out rather than to be shy and silent for fear of criticism or ridicule.
You know, sometimes it is a productive exercise for us to make a sincere effort to answer any question which we encounter, and not critique the question or questioner for being foolish.
I have never read the short story in question, but in the 1970's I was enthralled by a television production of "An Occurance at Owl Creek Bridge."
I imagine that the film was very faithful to the short story. Here is what I can remember. A man is about to be hanged, but as he drops, the rope breaks, he falls into the creek below, and escapes. He is delirious with joy that such good fortune has come upon him and that he has been granted and extension to life, and freedom, to enjoy the simple things which surround him, the sunlight, air, leaves, water. But suddenly, we are back at the gallows,
and we see a lifeless body hanging from the noose. We realize that the entire story was simply the condemned man's imagination and wish fulfillment during the brief moment of his descent to the end of the rope.
To be certain, it is the surprise of the ending which comprises much of the power of the story. Were this story to begin with an exclamation that a man was condemned to death and was hanged, but in the moments before death, he experiences a fantasy, an illusion, which seems to endure for 30 minutes rather than one second, well... the surprise ending would be gone and the story would loose all of its charm.
The point of view is the condemned man's subjective point of view, his fantasy, which for him and for us becomes a reality until we awaken to the fact that he actually dies and it is only a fantasy, a dream.
The plot relies on our ignorance of the true ending. Perhaps one might say that the theme is the wonder of each moment of existence, and how precious each moment becomes for us once we are truly conscious of how finite and limited and numbered our moments really are.
But, we must ask ourselves how it can be in any practical sense that anyone would know the prolonged fantasy of this man in the moment prior to his death. He certainly cannot narrate this for us as he falls, and he is even less capable of communicating anything once his neck has snapped. This simple fact makes it very obvious that it is solely the point of view of the victim, as far as the story is concerned, and it is purely the conjecture of the author
as to what the victim might have experienced as far as we are concerned.
I suppose we might spend some time discussing the title of the story, "An OCCURENCE at Owl Creek Bridge."
Everything that happens may be said to "occur." If a fly falls into the farmer's milk pail in the barn, it is an occurence. If the farmer's wife feeds the milk to her baby and the baby ingests the fly, it is an occurence. If the farmer SAW the fly fall into the milk and chose to leave it there, it is an occurence. If the farmer had the premeditated thought of playing a prank upon his wife by giving her milk with a fly in it, it is an occurence. If
the farmer's prank backfires because then wife unknowingly feeds the milk to the baby and the baby becomes ill and dies, it is an occurence. If the farmer confesses his secret guilt to a minister who secretly covets the farmer's wife, and the minister arranges for the farmer's wife to learn the truth, but the farmer's wife, in her rage, smashes her husband's head open with an axe, and is tried and hanged for murder, well, you get my point, these are all occurences.
An insect falling into a bucket, as an occurence by itself, is hardly worthy of note. The fate of the insect is too insignificant to be termed an occurence. A Greek tragedy of epic proportions such as the farmer's folly, combined with the minister's lust and a wife's murderous rage, is far too great to be called simply "an occurence." Hence, when we single out something with the word "occurence" is is something neither too small nor too great.
I feel as though there is much more of interest that might be said concerning this short story. Perhaps I shall also post this at my website,
http://toosmallforsupernova.org
and add to it as time permits. But for now, I shall post here at this message board what I have so far, in the hopes that it will help AN eager student.
The comment from your Russian professor is much more appropriate than the one from Gatsby, which has far more to do with material wealth than simple good sense, that is to take the time to read a few pages.
That said, I mus say that I really enjoyed your commentary on the Occurance! And if that was all from having read it some years ago, you have an incredible memory. Your "exercise" turned out to be quite interesting reading. I'll have to get that story and read it again.
Interesting, as it reminds me of another quote, from I know not who: "the only foolish question is the one not asked."
Way to cheat.
BOW DOWN!
BOW DOWN!
Before the power of Santa, or be Crushed
Be crushed by his jolly boots of Doom!
There are no 'stupid' questions, but there are those who would take advantage of their own laziness and other people's kindness. One must at least have been exposed to the material in order to form a question. I sense the exposure in this case has been limited to hearing or reading the title somewhere. Or maybe they once brushed up against the book. Ditto what Spite claims.
Ok, look--This question has come up before and there are always the same arguments, comments, and occasional harsh words spoken. Frankly, this is just the way it is: There are two types of people who use this forum; those that are interested in exchanging viewpoints and ideas with others of the same interest in classic literature and those that are simply looking for easy answers to exam questions. To give that latter group those answers is up to the individual, but in this particular instance the story at hand is relatively short and there is no reason to encourage intellectual laziness. Besides, I seriously doubt that the professor is interested in any other viewpoint on plot, theme, and point of view besides that of his/her student (LauraBoot15). That's what college is all about!
"Friends stab you in the front" --Oscar Wilde
I, personally, believe in helping anyone who asks for others' aide; I find it a way to exercise knowledge in literature and its comprehension. If others fear utilizing using their knowledge by helping others (or just lack the knowledge, to begin with), I pity more you who insult, rather than he/she who asks questions regarding a story. As I said, "the only foolish question is the one not asked," I find it depressing that others insult those in need; and I doubt if any of you would treat LaurBooT15 in this preceding, insulting manner if he/she asked the same question face-to-face.
Indeed, we all have a choice whether to open a thread or not, as Logos specified, so if you have nothing nice to say to those in need, perhaps remaining quiet, or just ignoring the thread, seems the best policy.
Who's being insulting? Is there anything amiss in giving an opinion--even if it doesn't coinside with your own? Has anyone became personal with you, Mono, as you just did with your little self-righteous post? If someone came up to me face to face and asked me to give them something to write for their exam concerning a short story I'd ask them, "Well, have you read it yourself?" There's nothing wrong with that! What is so "insulting" about challenging others to think for themselves?
"Friends stab you in the front" --Oscar Wilde
All I can say: wow. Take my comments as personally as you like, Black_Flag; but you do have the option of either contributing or ignoring this thread, as one of the site administrators, Logos, has mentioned. I apologize if I have offended you, as I aimed no insult toward you.
Last edited by mono; 12-20-2004 at 06:56 PM.
mono, and Sitaram, thank you for being positive to yet another plea for `help' on the forums.
Look you guys all have good points and everyone is entitled to their opinion here, if you can word it as such that it is not a personal disrespectful/disparaging comment towards another member.
Regardless of whether LaurBooT15 is actually reading these responses to her/his topic is one thing, (just because they haven't logged back in since they posted doesn't mean that they haven't been reading them) , and actually besides the point ... because, someone who is willing to `help' shouldn't be said to be `in the wrong' for doing so. Some people get enough satisfaction posting to these questions for their own benefit, not necessarily to help someone else `cheat' or be `intellectually lazy'.
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