Peyton Farquhar is chosen by Ambrose Bierce to be the protagonist of the story An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge. He is perfect for the role because there are two things that he tries to achieve in the story; he tries to help the Southern cause, and tries to survive. He cannot do either, as the Union army destroys him. The reason for his failure to get what he wants is because of his fixed circumstances. These circumstances include living in the South during times of war, his required patriotism, and his social status.

The story takes place in Alabama during the Civil War, and this clearly made it more difficult for him to survive. His family and his plantation were in danger, as the Union army could've advanced at anytime. Even his name Peyton indicated this, as it meant "Village Warrior", and this was exactly what he...