Time is defined by “a nonspatial continuum in which events occur in apparently irreversible succession.” This distortion of the continuous forward motion of time disrupts the perception of reality. When the reader can no longer distinguish actual reality from a perceived reality, other character judgments come into question as well. The disruption of time allows the sequence of events in “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” to be presented in a manner that forces the reader to question any assumptions made about Peyton Farquhar's true character. By taking the reader through the mind of Peyton ...