Good Research Paper About An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge

Peyton Farquhar is trapped by a Union soldier who, dressed like a Confederate soldier, influences him into committing the act of sabotaging the Owl Creek Bridge to prevent the advancement of the Union forces into the South. Why does the Scout visit the Farquhar estate disguising himself as a Confederate? The third person narrative portrays the feeling of Peyton as he is ready to hang under the very bridge he tried to sabotage to control the expansion of the Union army in the South.
The soldier appears in the Farquhar grounds for a drink of water and reveals Peyton that the Yankees are making their advancement, and have reached up to Owl Creek Bridge. Peyton, on learning from the seemingly friendly soldier about the vulnerability in respect of safeguarding the bridge by the Yankee soldiers, is tempted to burn the bridge. In fact, the intention of the Union soldier is to understand if the advancement of the Yankees is acceptable to the Southern civilians like Peyton. Peyton’s attitude makes the soldier believe that he is a prospective Yankee hater and foresee an attempt to sabotage the bridge.
Even though the scout’s action suggests that he meets the Farquhar family with the intention of suggesting Peyton to torch the bridge, he is gentle and friendly by all means. He rightly reminds Peyton the commandant’s order declaring that civilians found to interfere with the railroad or bridges would be hanged. However, his indirect suggestion to Peyton to destroy the bridge can be understood when seen from the perspective of a Union soldier. The advancing Union army is more interested in assessing how far the civilians of the locality are accepting their attempts to invade the South. Sadly, Peyton happens to be first civilian the disguised Union soldier meets to understand the Southern view of the Yankee advancement.