Realism and Ambrose Bierce

"Realism in literature is a worldwide movement that had its most profound effects in fiction and drama in the late 1800s. Born out of the ideas of the romantic novel but infused with concrete details and accurate descriptions of society, the characters of realist fiction are drawn from the events and contexts of modern life and face everyday obstacles" (Diamond). This is a common definition of Realism. Realism followed the Romanticism Period, and just like any other literary period compared with another, it was quite a bit different. Romanticism liked to use metaphors and allusions with nature to describe things that come to the mind of the author. Realism uses common day experiences and common obstacles that would delay the characters. Realism, like its name implies, uses real life experiences and characters that people could relate to to interest the reader.

One such short story during the Realism Period is Ambrose Bierce's "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge." This is the story that takes place during the Civil War. A man tries to convince Confederate soldiers to burn the bridge at Owl Creek. It almost works, but they figure his scheme out and attempt to execute him. They prepare to hang him off the bridge, but as they hang him, the rope snaps, and he is freed. He swims down the river and runs into the woods, where he meets his family. However, as he goes to his wife, he feels a pain in his back and his vision fails. (Bierce) Then the reader realizes that this was all a dream, the rope snapping and escaping. Really, he dreams this just before he actually dies. (Bierce).

This shows realism because it takes place during the Civil War, something that is an enormous part of American history. Realism uses real places, real instances, and real people. This occurrence might have happened during the Civil War. It is very possible that this could have actually happened. Also, the characters in the story are real, and one can relate to the characters. The main character, a farmer, comes upon Confederate troops at a bridge. A farmer during this time period was not rare at all, and obviously, Confederate troops were present too. They were real people, with real occupations, put in real situations. Realism is almost like historical fiction, because it has many real components, it just might not have actually happened in history.

Another characteristic of realism is in the characters actions. He daydreams that he is with his family. It his escape from his death, his psychological escape from a very real death. This is another characteristic of realism. Not only did he dream back to his family, something very real and on the minds of other readers, but he also uses that as an escape from his present predicament (Diamond).

Unfortunately, his daydream was not enough to save him, and his death could be seen as an overreaction of the Confederate soldiers, and criticizing their cruelness there. This is also another common trait for realism (Diamond).

All of these are common examples of realism, showing that "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge," a short story by Ambrose Bierce, is a true Realism novella.

Works Cited

Bierce, Ambrose. "An Occurrence At Owl Creek". Page By Page Books. 18 Jan 2011. http://www.pagebypagebooks.com/Ambrose_Bierce/An_Occurrence_At_Owl_Creek_Bridge/II_p1.html.

Diamond, Marie Josephine, ed. "realism." Encyclopedia of World Writers, 19th and 20th Centuries. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2003. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= GEWW480&SingleRecord=True (accessed January 19, 2011).