Comparison of Characters
Two people of separate interests and even of different eras can meet the same unjust fate, yet lead totally different lives. The following will closely scrutinize the characters of Peyton Farquhar from 'An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge' and the Grandmother from 'A Goodman is Hard to Find'. Before the fate of these characters can be discussed it must be understood what their two very defined roles in the stories were. Peyton Farquhar was the diehard patriot fighting for his cause. The story says he was "a well-to-do planter, of an old and highly respected Alabama family"(p. 259). He is established as a man of class, with a respected heir about him. He is almost made out to be the epitome for the 'dreamer', the idealistic fool who was one for the cause, as is proven in the line from the story that reads, "Meanwhile he did what he could. No service was too humble for him to perform in aid of the South."(p. 259) His fate is that of his enemy's will, yet the writer gives him innocence. On the other hand the Grandmother from the other story is not given such an air. She exhibits that of a selfish
These two very different characters both share the same inevitable fate, death by the hands of another. Farquhar is killed by Northern troops for defending his country, a noble act, but his fate is in the hands of the invaders, not fellow countrymen. They were intolerable of a "well-to-do planter" from a "respectable Alabama family" who got in their way. They did not know him, nor did he know them. They were simply men on opposites sides, which in turn made them enemies. Not by anything personal, but by the cause on which either man stood. As explained in the story, "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,"(p. 258) this was not a severe hatred for Farquhar, it was simply a duty to be carried out. He was a Goodman, but in the time of war, that is not enough. In closing, this essay tried to shed some light on two very different characters, which in all the same ways were different, end up the same. Death that is delivered cares not how good of a person you are, it is simply a deed to be carr
Some common words found in the essay are:
Florida Tennessee, Peyton Farquhar, Federal Pen, , Hard Find', Bridge' Grandmother, change son's mind, son's mind, deserve death, change son's, peyton farquhar, well-to-do planter,
Approximate Word count = 743
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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