An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

Question

by Ambrose Bierce

“Company!… Attention!… Shoulder arms!… Ready!… Aim!… Fire!”

Farquhar dived—dived as deeply as he could. The water roared in his ears like the voice of Niagara, yet he heard the dull thunder of the volley and, rising again toward the surface, met shining bits of metal, singularly flattened, oscillating slowly downward. Some of them touched him on the face and hands, then fell away, continuing their descent. One lodged between his collar and neck; it was uncomfortably warm and he snatched it out.

As he rose to the surface, gasping for breath, he saw that he had been a long time under water; he was perceptibly farther downstream—nearer to safety. The soldiers had almost finished reloading; the metal ramrods flashed all at once in the sunshine as they were drawn from the barrels, turned in the air, and thrust into their sockets. The two sentinels fired again, independently and ineffectually.

The hunted man saw all this over his shoulder; he was now swimming vigorously with the current. His brain was as energetic as his arms and legs; he thought with the rapidity of lightning: “The officer,” he reasoned, “will not make that martinet’s error a second time. It is as easy to dodge a volley as a single shot. He has probably already given the command to fire at will. God help me, I cannot dodge them all!”

"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" by Ambrose Bierce

Question
Use the passage to answer the question.

What text evidence supports the theme that people have a natural instinct to survive?

(1 point)
Responses

“’Company!… Attention!… Shoulder arms!… Ready!… Aim!… Fire!’”
“’Company!… Attention!… Shoulder arms!… Ready!… Aim!… Fire!’”

“His brain was as energetic as his arms and legs; he thought with the rapidity of lightning;”
“His brain was as energetic as his arms and legs; he thought with the rapidity of lightning;”

“The soldiers had almost finished reloading; the metal ramrods flashed all at once in the sunshine . . “
“The soldiers had almost finished reloading; the metal ramrods flashed all at once in the sunshine . . “

“The water roared in his ears like the voice of Niagara, yet he heard the dull thunder of the volley . . . “
“The water roared in his ears like the voice of Niagara, yet he heard the dull thunder of the volley . . . “
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Answer 1

The text evidence that supports the theme that people have a natural instinct to survive is:

“His brain was as energetic as his arms and legs; he thought with the rapidity of lightning;”

This line illustrates the quick and instinctual thinking that occurs in a life-or-death situation, highlighting the character's natural drive to survive as he navigates his perilous circumstances.