The narrator reflects back to the period of the civil war in 1865. In this case, things unfolded in a rather slow pace as compared to the current century. Comparing the sounds made by the branches to those of the old age harps clearly indicates a comparison of time and innovation during this period.
As the narrator focuses the main character’s thoughts, the character seems uneasy on how things are moving in a slow pace. He seems furious with everything around him as they appear to slow down the situation,” a piece of dancing driftwood caught his attention and his eyes followed it down the current. How slowly it appeared to move! What a sluggish stream!”
The narrator is keen on subject of time as he tries to point out various twists of events. Symbolically he’s referring to the sounds of his watch unusual at the same time conformed, he goes on and addresses’ the silence unusually prolonged. Ambrose is trying to jog with the readers mind by these unusual circumstances.
Bierce has expounded the theme of death largely in this piece as he tries to compare these circumstances with some of the human aspects of denying the actual reality at given situations in times of argony.He uses Peyton’s situation where he literally diverts his thoughts moments before his death and instead embraces a feeling of superiority as he vividly try’s to evade captivity and runs away to his family.
The narrator reflects back to the 1860’s and highlights the aspects of barbaric acts of Slavery that used to take place. He also wants the reader to understand the need of democracy that lacked during and before the civil war.’’ 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’’ this sentiment clearly demonstrates lapse of democracy during this error.
The narrator goes a step further and reflects some values and morals that emerged during the American civil war of which the main agenda that instigated this war was a clash of ideas by different political sovereigns. This is to help the reader understand the reason why Peyton was being persecuted as he was the representative of the Southern American upper-class society during his tenure. At the start, the narrator gives a description of Peyton as a prominent man in Alabama, highly respected and a politician. Peyton has had a series of disastrous campaigns that led to the fall of Corinth that forced him to work hard to secure his state.’’ 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’’
This narrator has used Peyton’s situation to emphasize acceptance of democracy in current political ruling.
References
http://www.pagebypagebooks.com/Ambrose_Bierce/An_Occurrence_At_Owl_Creek_Bridge/index.html
