"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" by Ambrose Bierce seems to have been written to cleverly play with the minds of his readers. The ending of “An Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge” may beg the question, “What just happened?” The present becomes the past, it gets lost in a sort of dream world and then returns again to the present sense. Bierce's infamous character, Peyton Farquhar, is known to raise eyebrows at just the mention of his name. Farquhar's sad end was due to a cunning disguise by a federal scout, but exactly how clever was he? What if this whole affair was planned in such a way that Farquhar was killed on purpose? As quoted from the story, "Peyton Farquhar was a well-to-do planter, of an old and highly respected Alabama family." (Bierce, Section II) Since Farquhar is obviously expert at his job and also does good work, then people must know him. Coming from a respected family also puts his name out there. In today's modern society, every move of the rich and famous is monitored to the finish line. If Peyton Farquhar's family tree is well known, most people in the village must be aware of his whereabouts. “Being a slaveholder and like other slaveholders a politician, he was naturally an original secessionist and ardently devoted to the Southern cause.” (Bierce Section II) The phrase "to be a slaveholder and like other slaveholders a politician" is Bierce's use of an aphorism, a concise statement of a truth or opinion. Bierce also uses a large amount of imagery, not only in this section but throughout the entire story, to put a strong image in the reader's mind of how the war is fought. The fact that Bierce considers a slave owner to be synonymous with...... middle of paper....... Given that "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" is set during the Civil War, there is obviously a lot to tell story related to history. Due to the South's inability to obtain large numbers of soldiers, the decision was made in 1861 to wage guerrilla warfare. Civilians were often organized to wage war against Union troops by disrupting Union communications and supply lines. Since Peyton Farquhar was well known for doing anything to help the South, it would not be surprising if he was one of the civilians who engaged in these attacks. The North could have easily discovered him and learned his name and information, giving them reason to kill him. The fact that Farquhar is so obsessed with wanting to join the army also shows how much the male strives to be known as the "strong gender" and feels as if a victory in battle helps them achieve this goal..