Numerous American authors have written stories about the Confederate Civil War. Ambrose Bierce was one of the most popular authors whose writings have stood the test of time. His distinction within the Confederate Union Army provides a parallel in his own writings. In the justifiably famous short story, “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” (Bierce 551), Ambrose Bierce, creates a fascinating account of reality that instills a bridge to apparent spirituality through his effective use of characters, settings, and symbolism. Peyton Farquhar is a wealthy citizen of an acclaimed Alabama family (553) of distinctive stature. He shows a self-provoked need to be involved like no other ordinary citizen would dare to mount; however, he is not a Confederate soldier. He is a loving and dedicated husband, who has visions of his beautiful wife, "the Lady" (553) who is the center of his existence, and she resides with him on a vast tree-lined fenced plantation in northern Alabama. He is a slave owner and because he is a planter, he is devoted to the South and the cause of war. He is a busybody, a politician, and wants to participate in the Confederate Civil War efforts to assert his own worth; will protect his interests and for his distinct glory. As a result he chooses to get involved in espionage and provocative interference in an attempt to somehow feel like an important collaborator. He did not take into account the many lives he could endanger with his selfish actions, however, the risk of his life being lost. The story is set in the Confederate Civil War era, in the southern United States and northern Alabama, the context of the bridge is central to what Bierce c...... middle of paper...... small, is sentenced to hanging, and has an extraordinary response through the manifestation of thoughts. He looks around for an escape route, but his only escape is through his mind. Bierce exploits the reality of Farquhar's mental quest for freedom by using plot twists that revolve around the inevitable hanging. Furthermore, through defiance, remorse, and symbolism, Bierce's writing is exquisitely linked to a unique parallel representation and, as a result, conveys a strange connection through nature and a spiritual perpetuity. Next, the story “An Occurrence at Owl Bridge Creek Bridge” (Bierce 551) leaves a mysterious and surprising suspended impression. Works Cited Ambrose, Bierce. "An Event at Owl Creek Bridge" Norton's introduction to literature. Eleventh ed. Ed. Kelly J. Mays. New York: Norton, 2013, pp. 551 - 557. Print.