Peyton Farquhar, the protagonist in Ambrose Bierce’s story ‘An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge,’ meets his tragic end through a complex series of events that blend reality and illusion.
As the story unfolds, Farquhar is depicted as a Confederate sympathizer who is caught attempting to sabotage a Union railroad. His actions lead to his capture and his subsequent sentencing to be hanged from the Owl Creek Bridge. In the moments leading up to his execution, Farquhar experiences a vivid fantasy where he escapes and makes a desperate attempt to reunite with his family.
However, this fantasy is abruptly interrupted when the story reveals that Farquhar is not escaping at all. The sharp twist at the end indicates that he never truly escaped the noose. Instead, as he hangs from the bridge, he experiences a series of hallucinations in the moments before his death, leaving readers to ponder the fine line between life, death, and the power of imagination.
Ultimately, Farquhar dies by hanging, and the story masterfully plays with the theme of perception versus reality, highlighting the tragic irony of his fate.