Death is a dignitary who when he comes announced is to be received with formal manifestations of respect, even by those most familiar with him
The way of perceiving and treating death differs not only within cultures and countries – it differs through professions. The scene of execution depicted in the story is a vivid example of how military men treat death. They keep silence and stay motionless against it: “The sentinels, facing the banks of the stream, might have been statues to adorn the bridge. The captain stood with folded arms, silent, observing the work of his subordinates, but making no sign.” They consider it to be a dignitary, their colleague, one more officer that serves for the humanity (or against it). In the code of military etiquette silence and fixity are forms of deference. They respect death, regardless if they are his colleagues or victims.
He gave the struggle his attention, as an idler might observe the feat of a juggler, without interest in the outcome
In extraordinary situations people are tend to do things they thought they would never do that in their ordinary life. it seems that some unknown power rules our body and mind but, in fact, human potential is much bigger than we use to think. Being condemned to death, the protagonist humbled himself with a thought that he will be dead soon. But then he awaked in the river and it was a new chance for him and he didn’t want to waste it. He desperately struggled for living, trying to untie his hands and get free. His efforts were so hard that it seemed funny to himself how did it look like from the side. But it didn’t matter much for him at the moment – he was trying to save himself, like anyone would in this case, and only his endless efforts could help him.
He stands at the gate of his own home. All is as he left it, and all bright and beautiful in the morning sunshine. He must have traveled the entire night.
Just the perfect end of the story – a poor suffering man finally finds his way home, he is exhausted but happy – nothing had happened to his house ad family and even the weather is perfect. Such an idyllic picture the narrator creates for the enforcing the following event which completely contrasts this one. Peyton Farquhar is dead, his neck is broken and he swings gently from side to side beneath the timbers of the Owl Creek Bridge. It looks like a phantom pains that people feel after they had lost something – the thing they don’t have anymore but they still feel it. In this case, Peyton Farquhar lived the life he will never live because he is dead and the sun will never shine for him anymore.
