Imagination In Ambrose Bierce's Owl Creek

An occurrence at Owl Creek by Ambrose Bierce shows why the imagination required to vividly daydream is critical in making it through impossible times. Having an imagination may seem childish at first thought, however when faced with incredible obstacles or situations having an imagination is needed. The majority of the human race of course has an imagination; it is the levels and capability of said imagination that differs among us. the only people who are known to have limited to no imagination at all are those who have low levels of openness to experience on the five-factor personality scale of psychology. An analytical and pragmatic mind looks at the situation and sees it as it presents itself, thus staying in the moment. It is the day-dreamers who are able to escape the situation at hand and go

However, in order for a difficult circumstance to be dealt with, a combination of the two are required. Realists who can dream and dreamers who can be real are ideal in order to overcome terrible obstacles even if those obstacles result in your death. An occurrence at Owl Creek told in an objective third person narration. This story was also told in a nonlinear narrative, thus showing in literary form how an imagination works by jumping around from place to place and time to time. Throughout the story, Ambrose Bierce calls attention to a Farquhar's heightened senses and abilities. This was his way of spoiling the outcome of the story by hinting to the fact that Farquhar's escape was in fact an illusion . Irony is running rampant within this extraordinary work of literary art. A Dramatic example of irony is the fact that Farquhar says that he is a student of hanging and yet he's the one being hanged, "suppose a man -- a civilian and student of hanging -- should elude the picket post and perhaps get the better of the