In the midst of the Civil War in Alabama, Peyton Farquhar, a wealthy farmer, awaits death on the Owl Creek Bridge. With a noose around his neck, Union soldiers watch as the man collects his thoughts in his final moments before being hanged for accidentally revealing his allegiance to the Confederacy to a Union spy. Upon first reading this short story, the reader is led to believe that Peyton miraculously escapes and takes pleasure in reading about his long, exhausting journey back to his lovely wife and children. Only in the very last sentences is it revealed that his entire escape was just a dream, taking place in the milliseconds between when he is forced off the bridge and when the rope snaps. tightens fatally around his neck. This striking passage quoted below from “An Event at Owl Creek Bridge” by Ambrose Bierce is found at the very beginning of the story. In this paragraph, Peyton becomes exasperated and anxious because of an unfamiliar and irritating sound. This passage contributes to the overall piece more than any other paragraph because it establishes mood and tone, character development, and adds to the overall theme of the work. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay This paragraph successfully helps develop the tone and mood of the entire short story through descriptive images and setting. However, they have serious differences. For example, “The water gilded by the morning sun, the looming mist beneath the banks some distance down the stream” (1-2) paints a vivid picture in the reader's mind. This is a great example of the tone of the story. The “golden” water (2) alludes to a bright morning sky while the “morning sun” (2) and “moody mist” (2) produce a sleepy, peaceful tone. Yet this beautiful scene of a calm stream contrasts quickly and harshly with Peyton's feeling of anxiety and "apprehension" (9). He hears an “infuriating” sound (10) that “hurts his ear like the sound of a knife” (11-12). This illustrative description of the “high, distant, metallic” sound (5) creates an uneasy atmosphere for the reader. One begins to feel as uncomfortable reading this section of the text as if he were standing on the bridge over Owl Creek itself. These sentences not only demonstrate a distinct contrast, but also set the mood and tone for the rest of the short story. The tone of this short piece of literature notably contrasts with the inner thoughts of the protagonist. Although the mood gives readers a better idea of ​​what Peyton is feeling by making them feel the same way, it is the contrast with the calm, collected tone that really draws attention to what he is thinking. By writing in such a relaxed tone but then so powerfully describing the distressing sound of Peyton's watch, the author develops a deep and complex character in just a few sentences. In his physical appearance, the protagonist seems serene and even calm in the face of death. He is even described as a gentleman earlier in the story. This fits the tone of the story. Yet as Bierce describes the sound of his watch, one that sounds "like the blow of a sledgehammer on the anvil" (6), the reader realizes that Peyton is not only terrified of death, but driven to madness by the anxiety of waiting for him. The reader realizes that Peyton is just as human and afraid of mortality as the rest of us. This description of the protagonist's character goes much further than his physical appearance, for example, and his psyche. This is a great moment of character development for Peyton Farquhar. This 289)