An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

Why does the author describe how Peyton Farquhar reacts to the sound of his watch?

• to show that Farquhar's perception of time had become distorted

• to illustrate the cruelty of Union soldiers

• to explain why Farquar had come to the bridge

• to draw a parallell between Farquar and his executioners

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CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.11-12.3

Which of the following contributes most to the feeling of suspense in "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge"?

• the vivid descriptions of the physical setting

• the unexpected sequence in which the events are related

• the emotionless description of the procedures used to prepare for the hanging

• the sympathetic depiction of Peyton Farquhar's personality

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CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.11-12.3

CCSS.RL.11-12.5

What is the main function of the flashback in this story?

• to describe the effects of the war on women and children

• to provide insight into the treacherous nature of the Union soldiers

• to generate sympathy for the Southern cause

• to explain why Peyton Farquhar is being hanged

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CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.11-12.3

CCSS.RL.11-12.5

Which best describes the theme Bierce conveys in this story?

• People often stand to gain much by taking foolish risks.

• War makes men cruel and indifferent to human life.

• Soldiers must follow orders regardless of their personal feelings.

• Whatever can go wrong probably will.

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CCSS.RL.11-12.2

Which of the following excerpts from the story provides a clue that certain events occur in Peyton Farquhar's imagination rather than in reality?

• "… he had frequented camps enough to know the dread significance of that deliberate, drawling, aspirated chant …"

• "Suddenly he heard a sharp report and something struck the water smartly within a few inches of his head, spattering his face with spray."

• "He noted the prismatic colors in all the dewdrops upon a million blades of grass."

• "At last he found a road which led him in what he knew to be the right direction."

   

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CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.11-12.6

Which of the following excerpts shows a limited third-person point of view?

• "Peyton Farquhar was a well-to-do planter, of an old and highly respected Alabama family."

• "The company faced the bridge, staring stonily, motionless."

• "The power of thought was restored; he knew that the rope had broken and he had fallen into the stream."

• "The man's hands were behind his back, the wrists bound with a cord."

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CCSS.RL.11-12.3

CCSS.RL.11-12.6

What motivated Peyton Farquhar to go to Owl Creek Bridge?

• devotion to the Southern cause

• an immediate need to protect his plantation

• curiosity about what the soldier told him

• to make a deal with the Union soldiers

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CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.11-12.3

How can you infer that Peyton Farquar is planning to destroy the bridge?

• He has a wife and children to protect, and doesn't like the Union army.

• He keeps asking questions about the bridge and wants to help the South.

• He is very into firea and watching things burn.

• The Union soldier told his commanding officer about Farquar.

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CCSS.RL.11-12.1

CCSS.RL.11-12.6

Which of the following is an example of personification from "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge"?

• "A whiz and a rattle of grapeshot among the branches high above his head roused him from his dream."

• "The humming of the gnats that danced above the eddies of the stream,"

• "Their movements were grotesque and horrible, their forms gigantic."

• "A lieutenant stood at the right of the line, the point of his sword upon the ground, his left hand resting upon his right."

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CCSS.L.11-12.5

CCSS.RL.11-12.4

Which of the following is an example of simile from "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge"?

• "the strokes of the water spiders' legs, like oars which had lifted their boat"

• "The sound of a clear, high voice in a monotonous singsong now rang out behind him and came across the water,"

• "He dug his fingers into the sand, threw it over himself in handfuls and audibly blessed it."

• "A strange roseate light shone through the spaces among their trunks and the wind made in their branches the music of Aeolian harps"

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CCSS.L.11-12.5

CCSS.RL.11-12.4