An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

Question

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.

How does the structure of this passage contribute to the meaning of the text?

(1 point)
Responses

By including symbols to downplay the relevance of time to the plot.
By including symbols to downplay the relevance of time to the plot.

By using foreshadowing to hint at a surprise twist at the end of the text.
By using foreshadowing to hint at a surprise twist at the end of the text.

By employing visual imagery to explain the circumstances of Farquhar’s predicament.
By employing visual imagery to explain the circumstances of Farquhar’s predicament.

By using sensory language to emphasize the deterioration of Farquhar’s mental state.
By using sensory language to emphasize the deterioration of Farquhar’s mental state.

Answer 1

The best response to how the structure of the passage contributes to the meaning of the text is:

By using sensory language to emphasize the deterioration of Farquhar’s mental state.

The passage employs sensory details, particularly auditory imagery, to illustrate the protagonist's increasing distress and the weight of his thoughts as he faces his fate. The focus on the sounds, such as the ticking of his watch, enhances the sense of time and impending doom, mirroring the mental turmoil and anxiety that Farquhar experiences in his final moments. This use of sensory language effectively conveys the psychological tension and the fragility of his state of mind.