Theme Of Irony In An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge

Time, as defined in the Oxford Dictionary, is the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole. Time, scientifically, is a concept in which humans use numbers to set up reference points throughout the existence of mankind. This concept uses units of time as large as millenniums to smaller units such as milliseconds. In the short story, An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, the writer uses a structure that lacks a chronological order, foreshadowing diction, and Irony to convey a fear of the time of death. The main character, Peyton Farquhar, struggles to savor every second left in his life. This senseless battle against an unwavering fate tells that one should welcome his/her time of death.

Time and death are inseparable because they correlate. As the amount of time left to live decreases, death comes closer and the

The first instance of dramatic irony occurs when the gray-clad soldier appears. Farquhar believes he will succeed in his mission while the reader learns a different idea. The soldier turns out to be a “Federal scout” (Bierce). This hint leads the readers to the conclusion that death is always a step ahead of the victim. If death wants to claim a life, it will succeed. Humans might not be able to cheat death and time, but death can and will cheat humans of times. The second form of irony comes in the form of situational irony. Farquhar expects success in his mission which is seen in his sarcastic remark “a civilian and student of hanging” (Bierce). The irony is that his beliefs and thoughts will eventually lead to his demise. The soldier set the mouse trap and Farquhar is allured by the cheese. Farquhar shortens the time he has left and death becomes imminent. The story proves that a man’s poor decisions and even ambitions can lead to death. All roads lead to death which is why it should be welcomed instead of