The short story “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” is taken place in Northern Alabama during the Civil War, and the protagonist whose name is Peyton Farquhar attempts to be a hero for the Confederacy and burn the Union’s stronghold at Owl Creek Bridge. Unfortunately, he fails and is charged with treason for the reason that a Union Scout disguised as a soldier lures him into committing the act. As Farquhar is awaiting and engaging in his death, the readers figure out one of the themes; an anticipated and unwanted death alters a person’s perspective of time. Farquhar knows that he’s dreading what action is about to take place because he’s hearing sounds that “hurt his ear like the trust of a knife… what he heard was the ticking of his watch”
