by Ambrose Bierce
He closed his eyes in order to fix his last thoughts upon his wife and children. The water, touched to gold by the early sun, the brooding mists under the banks at some distance down the stream, the fort, the soldiers, the piece of drift—all had distracted him. And now he became conscious of a new disturbance. Striking through the thought of his dear ones was sound which he could neither ignore nor understand, a sharp, distinct, metallic percussion like the stroke of a blacksmith’s hammer upon the anvil; it had the same ringing quality. He wondered what it was, and whether immeasurably distant or near by— it seemed both. Its recurrence was regular, but as slow as the tolling of a death knell. He awaited each new stroke with impatience and—he knew not why— apprehension. The intervals of silence grew progressively longer; the delays became maddening. With their greater infrequency the sounds increased in strength and sharpness. They hurt his ear like the thrust of a knife; he feared he would shriek. What he heard was the ticking of his watch.
"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" by Ambrose Bierce
Question
Use the passage below to answer the question.
Why does the author employ a third-person limited omniscient narrator in this section?
(1 point)
Responses
To reaffirm the chronological nature of the story.
To reaffirm the chronological nature of the story.
To describe the psychological reaction of the main character to impending death.
To describe the psychological reaction of the main character to impending death.
To avoid the need for sensory language to keep the text focused on one character.
To avoid the need for sensory language to keep the text focused on one character.
To establish the importance of symbolism to the reader.
To establish the importance of symbolism to the reader.
1 answer
The correct response is:
To describe the psychological reaction of the main character to impending death.
The use of a third-person limited omniscient narrator allows the reader to gain insight into the thoughts and feelings of the main character, particularly his psychological state as he faces his impending death. This perspective emphasizes his internal struggle and emotional experiences, enhancing the impact of the narrative.
