Comments by
Dan Byrnes
Is this film clip supposed to be completely silent? If it is, I think that it actually makes the viewer pay closer attention to detail since one of the five senses is not being used.
The filmmaker depicts this scene exceptionally well. I especially like how it zooms in on his face and slowly blends into the vision of his wife. Also, the inclusion of the ticking noise into the background was well done. The ticking increases speed as the woman decreases speed.
I like how the filmmaker shot this scene from bird’s eye view. Everything can be seen through the trees, very far away. The setting is slowly becoming clear through the branches, just as the story is slowly unfolding before our eyes in the text, without any personal contact.
The most interesting device in this video clip is how it is slowed down. By slowing down the voices, the marksmen marching, and the low drumbeat, the viewer is filled with anticipation as the action rises and the first shot if fired. This accurately reproduces Bierce’s idea of the scene in “accurately measured interval[s].”
One thing that sticks out in this video clip is Farquhar tripping and falling. I cannot find this in the text anywhere. I wonder why the filmmaker decided to include this in the film. Possibly it is a way to make the dream-vision even more believable by adding such a specific detail, especially one that exhibits flaw.
This video clip has a number of interesting parts. The first I see is the opening of the huge gates to Farquhar’s place. These gates seem a little out of place and in the middle of the forest and exaggerated in size. Could these symbolize the gates of heaven/gates of hell?
The incorporation of this idiom because it so so American. It is used to say that when there is conflict, people can be expected to behave in a more vicious way. This coincides with not only Farquhar’s life story, but the mantra behind the the Civil War.
I agree that this serves as an obituary. In Part I, the only thing we know about the man is his age and his physical attributes. Here we are given a more personal description of the man who was hanged. I think that his character is left to be judged by the reader, because I can see how people can feel remorse or no remorse for him based on this paragraph.
This is a good observation, but it should also be noted that Farquhar is just as eager to approach the soldier. They are a good and reliable source of information in his eyes.
Since so many of us missed this significance and the other important surprises that this Part has to offer, I think that this story is meant to be read multiple times. Every time it is read, it is easier to pick up on small hints dropped like this one. In this way, Bierce wrote a story that needs to be annotated in order to understand the full effect of the story.
I agree with Zhenya’s idea that this trick may have been repeated several times. It seems easy enough for them to target and execute people like Farquhar.
This paragraph makes me wonder what might have happened if this soldier had never shown up at Farquhar’s place. Would Farquhar have survived? It seems interesting that this simple conversation may have ultimately caused his death.
I also did not notice the juxtaposition of the white hands and the gray-clad soldier until this was pointed out, but now it seems like an obvious suggestion of innocence on the wife’s part. The fact that the soldier was wearing gray, a bleak, cold color, might also suggest the soldier’s lack of innocence as he may be a spy.
The sentinel’s job is to keep guard. So technically, they are not executing the man, but they are taking part in the process.
I found it interesting that Bierce comments on the physical features of the man about to be hanged. He may look like a gentleman, but how do we know that he hasn’t done anything wrong? This paragraph doesn’t really say anything about his character.
I had similar inquiries about these “support” soldiers as Daniel. They are only there to do their specific task and lack any emotion. By being emotionally unattached, it should have occurred to the reader that these sentinels would not care enough to hunt down the man if he happened to escape, and would merely stay at their posts.
In response to Colleen’s question, this paragraph is necessary to end Part I and begin Part II. The paragraph before only consists of thoughts of the past, while the flashback in Part II is a whole story of the man’s past. This paragraph ties the two together.
The verb choice in the phrase “he unclosed his eyes” is interesting. Instead of using the positive form of “open,” the author uses the negative form of “close.” This goes along with the positive shift that others above mentioned. The man now is happy to have a plan of escape, and it is reflected in the language of the story.
I would like to point out the use of alliteration and imagery at the end of this paragraph with phrases like “dancing driftwood” and “sluggish stream.” It is amazing that, although he is about to die, the man is thinking creatively on his feet.
The author describes Farquhar’s body as if it is already lifeless in this paragraph. With a swollen neck, open eyes, a swollen tounge, and nothing beneath his feet, the reader can already imagine Farquhar’s dead body hanging from the noose.
The thought of his family instills some sense of assurance in Farquhar. For example, he “found a road which led him in what he knew to be the right direction.” This follows the belief that if you want something bad enough, you’ll know exactly how to get it. Also, he was sure that the stars and the trees were arranged in a significant manner, showing him the way. It should be clear to the reader by now that Farquahar is in a dream-like state.
This paragraph shows a mixture of emotions. At one point he felt “giddy and sick” and at another point, he “wept with delight.” It should be mentioned that these are both paradoxes. These mixed emotions might be his reaction towards death.
The use of words like “metal ramrods,” “barrels,” and “sockets” adds to the story. It puts the reader right in the Civil War times when these were the most effective weapons.
While this paragraph does make it seem like Farquhar has keen senses so that he can see the color of the eye of the shooter through the scope of the rifle, I believe this is exaggeration. This kind of sight seems impossible. It does, however add to the suspense and adventure of the story.
I think the reason that this paragraph sticks out is because of the heavy use of personification. Lines like “his heart…trying to force itself out at his mouth” and “his disobedient hands gave no heed to the command” jump out because body parts, although human, do not think for themselves.