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Post by wireman on Jul 21, 2021 12:10:59 GMT
Today we will discuss An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce
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Post by wireman on Jul 21, 2021 18:31:38 GMT
This was a masterful example of nonlinear storytelling. It was done so well, I didn't see the ending coming.
This is a story with no heroic depiction of war. I think the story is telling us that there's no happy ending in war (Peyton running into his wife's arms at the end) even though we may think there can be.
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Post by wireman on Jul 21, 2021 18:38:15 GMT
Author Kurt Vonnegut wrote in 2005: "I consider anybody a twerp who hasn't read the greatest American short story, which is '[An] Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,' by Ambrose Bierce. It isn't remotely political. It is a flawless example of American genius, like 'Sophisticated Lady' by Duke Ellington or the Franklin stove."
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Post by edwardjohn on Jul 21, 2021 19:44:13 GMT
What an awesome story. I'm surprised that I had never heard of this author. It didn't seem at all like a supernatural tale until the end. I had done a bit of research on the author and knew he did historical and supernatural, but he did really well to not make the reader think that the supernatural spin at the end was coming. The action pieces were really well written, as was the tale generally.
I felt sorry for the main character, Peyton Fahrquhar. He seemed like a good man who genuinely loved his family. I had hoped that he would end up meeting up with his wife at the end of the story, but I knew that wasn't going to happen. I knew he was going to meet his end at the behest of the Union soldiers or get himself arrested, which is unfortunate.
A really great tale.
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Post by edwardjohn on Jul 21, 2021 19:47:30 GMT
This was a masterful example of nonlinear storytelling. It was done so well, I didn't see the ending coming.
This is a story with no heroic depiction of war. I think the story is telling us that there's no happy ending in war (Peyton running into his wife's arms at the end) even though we may think there can be.
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Post by spideyman on Jul 21, 2021 19:48:33 GMT
Enjoyable read, and I did not see that ending coming either. A story within story. His thoughts in his mind are so substantial in his consciousness that they took over reality, thus the reunion with his wife.
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Post by edwardjohn on Jul 21, 2021 19:49:27 GMT
This is a fantastic paragraph:
Peyton Fahrquhar was a well to do planter, of an old and highly respected Alabama family. Being a slave owner and like other slave owners a politician, he was naturally an original secessionist and ardently devoted to the Southern cause. Circumstances of an imperious nature, which it is unnecessary to relate here, had prevented him from taking service with that gallant army which had fought the disastrous campaigns ending with the fall of Corinth, and he chafed under the inglorious restraint, longing for the release of his energies, the larger life of the soldier, the opportunity for distinction. That opportunity, he felt, would come, as it comes to all in wartime. Meanwhile he did what he could. No service was too humble for him to perform in the aid of the South, no adventure to perilous for him to undertake if consistent with the character of a civilian who was at heart a soldier, and who in good faith and without too much qualification assented to at least a part of the frankly villainous dictum that all is fair in love and war.
wireman
I think the highlighted part really relates to what you were saying about Fahrquhar being in the search of the honour of battle.
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Post by wireman on Jul 21, 2021 19:54:35 GMT
This is a fantastic paragraph:
Peyton Fahrquhar was a well to do planter, of an old and highly respected Alabama family. Being a slave owner and like other slave owners a politician, he was naturally an original secessionist and ardently devoted to the Southern cause. Circumstances of an imperious nature, which it is unnecessary to relate here, had prevented him from taking service with that gallant army which had fought the disastrous campaigns ending with the fall of Corinth, and he chafed under the inglorious restraint, longing for the release of his energies, the larger life of the soldier, the opportunity for distinction. That opportunity, he felt, would come, as it comes to all in wartime. Meanwhile he did what he could. No service was too humble for him to perform in the aid of the South, no adventure to perilous for him to undertake if consistent with the character of a civilian who was at heart a soldier, and who in good faith and without too much qualification assented to at least a part of the frankly villainous dictum that all is fair in love and war.
wireman
I think the highlighted part really relates to what you were saying about him being in the search of the honour of battle. He's seeing the glory in war there and the story shows the horrific reality.
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Post by edwardjohn on Jul 21, 2021 19:55:38 GMT
This is a fantastic paragraph:
Peyton Fahrquhar was a well to do planter, of an old and highly respected Alabama family. Being a slave owner and like other slave owners a politician, he was naturally an original secessionist and ardently devoted to the Southern cause. Circumstances of an imperious nature, which it is unnecessary to relate here, had prevented him from taking service with that gallant army which had fought the disastrous campaigns ending with the fall of Corinth, and he chafed under the inglorious restraint, longing for the release of his energies, the larger life of the soldier, the opportunity for distinction. That opportunity, he felt, would come, as it comes to all in wartime. Meanwhile he did what he could. No service was too humble for him to perform in the aid of the South, no adventure to perilous for him to undertake if consistent with the character of a civilian who was at heart a soldier, and who in good faith and without too much qualification assented to at least a part of the frankly villainous dictum that all is fair in love and war.
wireman
I think the highlighted part really relates to what you were saying about him being in the search of the honour of battle. He's seeing the glory in war there and the story shows the horrific reality.
Yep, he finds out, to his horror, that it usually ends with your demise. |
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Post by darkharbinger on Jul 22, 2021 2:05:28 GMT
Without giving anything away, if you like this story of story telling and story in general watch the movie "Jacob's Ladder" with SK alum Tim Robbins.
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Post by spideyman on Jul 23, 2021 18:39:39 GMT
Back to Straub --discussion for 7-28-21 -- The Ballard of Ballard and Sandrine.
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Post by wireman on Jul 23, 2021 18:40:07 GMT
Next Wednesday we will discuss
The Ballad of Ballard and Sandrine by Peter Straub from Interior Darkness
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Post by neesy on Jul 23, 2021 22:12:41 GMT
Today we will discuss An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce
That was so sad at the end, although I sort of suspected it was all a hallucination or a dream - I wanted him to make it home, but it was a good read overall.
Thanks!
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Post by neesy on Jul 25, 2021 16:56:49 GMT
Next Wednesday we will discuss
The Ballad of Ballard and Sandrine by Peter Straub from Interior Darkness
I do not think I can participate, unfortunately - I returned the book Interior Darkness to the library - it was only available in regular type, not large type; I can read a bit in regular type but it is hard on my eyes.
I don't suppose this story is available on the internet as a PDF file? I have the type of computer screen you can expand - I guess I will go search now to see what I can find bqoSoRxYPsUMmOVwFRVS
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Post by neesy on Jul 28, 2021 17:43:56 GMT
Back to Straub --discussion for 7-28-21 -- The Ballard of Ballard and Sandrine.  Next Wednesday we will discuss
The Ballad of Ballard and Sandrine by Peter Straub from Interior Darkness
I won't be able to discuss this one today but I did notice that the book Interior Darkness is being held for me at the library - it's not the large type but I'll just try to read it in regular size type
It won the 2011 Bram Stoker award for long fiction
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