In the moments of his death, Peyton Farquhar, sees many strange and unnatural things happen in his imagined escape. Since, as we later find out, Peyton was in the process of dying; I wonder if these things are supposed to have significance. Are they supposed to be a part of his spiritual transition from life to death? Or is it purely natural? In which case it could be either his oxygen starved brain/adrenaline or his emotional longing for escape to his family illustrated in his imagination (the way you can be laying in bed thirsty and dream that you get up to get a drink).
Regardless of what the scientific origin of these visions is, they reflect the author. Maybe this is what Ambrose thought death would be like. He was a sardonic atheist. Was this his idea of the afterlife? Ambrose writes that Peyton thought the strange stars were aligned in a specific order. He also writes,
"--once, twice, and again--he distinctly heard whispers in an unknown tongue."
What is Ambrose Bierce trying to tell us with these 'hallucinations'?
I think Farquhar's weird thoughts and imaginations are natural from him slowly dying. I've obviously never died before but if you're slowly losing oxygen and such I'm sure it plays a role in imagining strange things.I don't know maybe that's not what Bierce was thinking but you're for sure not exactly in you right mind when you're dying.
ReplyDeleteBasically when your body is dying and your getting hanged it cuts off blood flow to the certain parts of the brain which can cause hallucinations or starting to imagine or see things. Just my thoughts!
ReplyDeleteOh ok I wasn't for sure if that's how it really worked so good to know!
DeleteYeah, that is kind of what I assumed when I first read it, that it was from more natural causes. But I still wonder if the stars and the whispers have significance. Peyton keeps mentioning that certain things give him a foreboding. for instance,
ReplyDelete"shone great garden stars looking unfamiliar and grouped in strange constellations. He was sure they were arranged in some order which had a secret and malign significance."
Is this his body talking to him through the haze of his mind?
Probably. I wasn't quite sure if that was something that Ambrose threw in there to "brighten up" the story or if he was trying to represent on how Farquhar was feeling/imagining.
ReplyDeleteIs there any significance in the gate in front of his house? What do you guys think?
ReplyDeleteThis could signify him at a door, but one that he cannot pass? Because it was at his house when he was shot, in his dream-like state. A gate that he couldn't pass anymore.
DeleteHmm, maybe him stepping through the gate to clasp his wife was him stepping through the door to eternity? I guess it could be a number of things, but it must have some significance.
ReplyDelete