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Stone Williams

Mr. Jefferson

English 3; Period 2

29 March 2017

A Strange Ambition

Realism or Naturalism is a style of literature that has ideas and themes that reflect around

what realistically happens given a situation in which a character is in. In a sense, nothing is

sugarcoated. Its style is supposed to be that of reality and thats where its rooted in. Great

examples of Realism include short stories like, To Build a Fire, A Journey, and An Occurrence

at Owl Creek Bridge. What makes these stories great is that not only are these stories surrounded

with ideas of realism, but it also has a central theme of realism as well. To Build a Fire, A

Journey, and An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge represent a theme of realism, that the human

spirit will do everything in its power to overcome obstacles.

To Build a Fire, written by Jack London, is representative of the theme that the human

spirit will do everything in its power to overcome obstacles. The story is about a mans struggle

to survive in the freezing cold temperatures of the Alaskan winter after he ignorantly misjudges

the weather and his own ability to survive. London demonstrate this determination in the human

spirit when he says, The sight of the dog put a wild idea into his head He would kill the dog

and bury his hands in the warm body until the numbness went out of them. (London) The man

is freezing out in the cold, already becoming numb, and he feels the only alternative to his
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survival is killing the dog thats with him to warm himself up. This is important because the man

is willing to kill a dog, not necessarily a wild animal, but what is considered a pet to most, in

order to insure himself that he survives and overcomes his challenge of surviving in the Alaskan

cold. Hes also willing to kill the dog in another circumstance so he doesnt fall into a pool of

water, Once again, however, he had a close call; and once suspecting danger, he compelled the

dog to go on in front. The dog did not want to go. It hung back until the man shoved it forward,

and then it went quickly across the white, unbroken surface. Suddenly it broke through,

floundered to one side, and got away to firmer footing. (London). The man is trying to push the

dog forward so it triggers the traps that could potentially cause the man to get hypothermia so

that he can avoid them. Again, the man is willing to kill a dog to just make sure he survives and

lives to see another day. It just shows that humans are willing to do anything to insure they

survive, even if it means putting a pet in danger.

A Journey, written by Edith Wharton, is also representative of the theme that the human

spirit will do whatever it takes to overcome any challenges. The story is about a woman and her

sick husband, trying to get home on a train. However, when the husband dies from his illness, the

woman tries to hide her husbands dead body to assure that her trip home isnt delayed. Just like

London, Wharton also demonstrates the human spirit when she narrates, Feeling dizzy, she

sank down on the edge up the berth, keeping away from his outstretched body, and pulling the

curtains close, so that he and she were shut into a kind of sepulchral twilight. She tried to think at

all cost she must conceal the fact that he was dead. (Wharton). In this quote, the woman has

finally settled on making sure her husbands body is hidden so that she can finally get home. It
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just shows that the woman is trying everything to make sure that she can get finally get home.

Wharton explores the theme more when she indicates, With an uncontrollable gesture she

stretched out her hand to push the face away, and suddenly she felt the touch of his smooth skin.

She repressed a cry and half started from her seat. (Wharton). The woman is pushing the face of

her dead husband away so that the people around her wont be able to see the dead body and

properly freak out like any normal person would. She doesnt want this reaction from others

because it would cause the train the stop and its the last she wants since she wants to go home,

so shes willing to hide her dead husbands head and shield it from everyone. Overall, it once

again shows the extent that humans are willing to do anything to accomplish a goal they want.

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, written by Ambrose Bierce, is representative of the

theme that humans are determined creatures who want to accomplish their goals but whatever

means necessary. The story is about a Confederate supporter named Peyton Farquhar in the

Civil War, who after being caught by the Union trying to burn a bridge under Union control, is

now trying to escape being hanged and killed, eventually realizing that it was all an illusion and

hes really dead. Like the previous authors before, Bierce furthers and explores the idea of the

human spirits ability when he says, Farquhar dived--dived as deeply as he could. The water

roared in his ears like the voice of Niagara, yet he heard the dulled thunder of the volley and,

rising again toward the surface, met shining bits of metal, singularly flattened, oscillating slowly

downward. Some of them touched him on the face and hands, then fell away, continuing their

descent. (Bierce). In order to dodge bullets that he knows are going to be fired upon by him by

the Union, he tries to dive underwater as far as possible so that he can avoid the bullets when
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they are fired. It shows Farquhars natural instinct to make sure he lives and survives, so hes

willing to push himself to the limit in order to escape what could possibly be his death. Another

instance of the willpower of humans is also shown when Bierce says, At the bottom of the steps

she stands waiting, with a smile of ineffable joy, an attitude of matchless grace and dignity. Ah,

how beautiful she is! He springs forward with extended arms. As he is about to clasp her he feels

a stunning blow upon the back of the neck; a blinding white light blazes all about him with a

sound like the shock of a cannon--then all is darkness and silence! Peyton Farquhar was dead; his

body, with a broken neck, swung gently from side to side beneath the timbers of the Owl Creek

bridge. (Bierce) As Farquhar is coming back to his home and sees his wonderful wife, all of a

sudden, reality hits him in the face, the world goes black and silent. It turns out that he imagined

everything, the escape from the Union Soldiers, everything. Although he imagined his escape, he

wants to escape death so badly that he just imagines an alternative timeline where he lives being

hanged and even how he would do it, showing how much of his humanity and sense of living is

still intact. This story is probably the best example that people are willing to put themselves

through anything, even imagining an alternate reality and living in that alternate reality, to make

an attempt to overcome their goals.

All of these short stories are great works of literary realism, and it shows through the

central idea and main theme that people naturally will do every they can possibly do in order to

get the outcome they want. Now theres other possible meanings behind the stories, and these

specific characters in the stories just so happen to be really ambitious in their goals due to their

personalities. However, the reader should acknowledge that in these stories, these characters
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almost have this natural instinct to complete their goals, and especially in An Occurance at Owl

Creek Bridge, Farquhar has this natural ability to stay alive no matter if reality is even real or

not. That alone, quite says something about the ambition of people.