Occurrence at Owl CREEK Bridge describes the fate of a planter by the name Farquhar, who is lured by a union scout disguised as a soldier into committing a crime for which he would eventually pay with his life. Farquhar is symbolic of the slave confederate states that sought to secede from the United States, whereas, the soldiers represent the might of the union.
The story becomes so emotional when the reader is reminded that Farquhar is not only a planter but is also a gentleman. This suggests that he poses no real threat to the union Army but is merely being executed on the grounds of being a confederate sympathizer. His longing for freedom and eventual demise is symbolic of the desire of slave states to be independent from the United States and the ultimate defeat and suppression of their motive.
On the on the hand, a good man is hard to find talks about a family that was completely annihilated by a criminal by the name of “Misfit” and his accomplices as a result of the self centered nature of the family’s grandmother. This story resembles the occurrence at Owl CREEK Bridge in that both the protagonists eventually end up losing their lives. The difference between these two stories lies in the fact that whereas Farquhar sought to free himself in his imaginations, the grandmother took the actual step of pleading for her life.
The authors of the anthologies use imagery to vividly describe the situation under which the protagonists are executed (Roberts 81). This stylistic device has the effect of arousing strong emotions of pity and remorse towards those who faced premature death and resentment, hate and anger towards the assailants who are pictured as being inhumane and brutal. The authors use detailed poignant descriptions to show just how easy it can be for men to take away each other’s life at the slightest provocation. Farquhar did not deserve to die and so did the grandmother and her family.
Works Cited
Roberts, Edgar. Writing Themes about Literature. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.1991.Print.