Question

name
period
partners: interactive reading guide: an occurrence at owl creek bridge · by ambrose bierce
directions: read actively! as you go, complete the tasks in each section before moving forward. use highlighters, margin notes.
before reading
prediction: based on the title, what do you think might happen at owl creek bridge?
an occurrence
civil war context: write down one thing you already know about the civil war that might connect to this story.
during reading
paragraphs 1–4 (the setup)

• mark it: circle or highlight 5 words you don’t know. try to use context clues in the sentence to guess their meanings. write this in the margins as you read.
• visualize it: make a bullet - point list of what you see happening on the bridge.
• pause & reflect: what mood is created here (paragraphs 1 - 4)? write down two words to describe it.

paragraphs 5–9 (farquhar’s perspective)

• note it: put a ★ next to any sentence that reveals something about farquhar’s character. then, write in the margin what you found.
• quick response: in one sentence, describe your first impression of him:

paragraphs 10–20 (backstory)

• track time: put a checkmark symbol in the margin or note “flashback” when the timeline shifts. then, explain in the margins of the story. summarize how many flashbacks and how they were used here:
• connect: how does this new information change your view of farquhar?

Explanation:

This is a reading guide for the story "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge". For the "Prediction" part, based on the title, one might predict that there could be an event (like an accident, a conflict, or a significant moment) happening at the Owl Creek Bridge. For the "Civil War Context" part, a known fact about the Civil War that connects to the story could be that the Civil War involved battles and military actions, and the story likely has a character involved in or affected by the war (since the protagonist, Farquhar, is a Southern sympathizer potentially involved in sabotage, which is related to the war's tensions).

Answer:

• Prediction: Based on the title, I think there might be a significant event (like a person facing danger or a dramatic incident) at Owl Creek Bridge.
• Civil War Context: One thing I know about the Civil War is that it was a conflict between the North and the South, with issues like slavery and states' rights, and it involved military operations and civilian involvement in the war effort (which could relate to Farquhar's situation as a Southern civilian potentially involved in sabotage).