[Tanniker Smith]

Oooooo-kaaaaay.

I haven't read about Mr. Peyton Farquhar since sophomore year of high school (a long time ago). Why post it now (other than the obvious?)?

Do you think Saddam was hallucinating in the end?

[Wormwood]

Thank you for this post.

A welcome change from the recent ghoulishness.

[cardinal4]

I saw a short film adaptation of this story in a comp class. They changed it somewhat, though, it was Redcoats who were doing the hanging..

[sgtbono2002]

If Saddam hallucinated, I hope he dreamt he was placed in a mulcher feet first.

[geopyg]

bump

[LdSentinal]

Thanks for the post.

Saddam's hanging is much more worse than people from the World Trade Center jumping 100 floors to their death./s

[Lancey Howard]

bttt

[texas booster]

Good time to post.

I like attempts to link classics to modern events.

Also connections between our Civil War to the Iraqi civil war. May saddam's side lose.

[Northern Alliance]

Fantastic movie (Rivière du hibou, La (1962))- images from it stayed with me for a long time.

[aligncare]

I saw a film of the same story in college film class. It was shown as an example of good cinematography technique and the use of imagery and visual metaphor.

It left quite an impression with us...it surely must have--since that was 32 years ago and I haven't seen the film ever again nor thought about it--till reading that title here tonight.

[Billthedrill]

Intense stuff from Ambrose Bierce, a gentleman whose prose is very definitely an acquired taste. I cannot imagine what Saddam might have wished for before the bottom dropped out but if it were the tenderness of love and home it would have to be tempered by the knowledge that he was being hanged for having denied those to so very many Iraqis. It is hard to imagine a man with so much blood on his hands having much of a human spark left in him.

He's dead now and well so in my opinion. If his hanging makes Kim and Mugabe and Chavez sleep just a little less soundly that's just fine by me.

[Mr J]

A gem from Bierce, IMO.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

I thought of this too, today. It is haunting.

[geopyg]

When I read this it reminded me of something but I wasn't quite sure. Then I remembered it was a Johnny Cash song:



Artist/Band: Cash Johnny
Lyrics for Song: Green, Green Grass Of Home
Lyrics for Album: At Folsom Prison

The old home town looks the same,
As I step down from the train,
And there to meet me is my mama and my papa.
Down the road I look, and there comes Mary,
Hair of gold and lips like cherries.
It's good to touch the green, green grass of home.

The old house is still standing,
Though the paint is cracked and dry,
And there's the old oak tree that I used to play on.
Down the lane I walk with my sweet Mary,
Hair of gold and lips like cherries.
It's good to touch the green, green grass of home.

Yes, they'll all come to see me,
Arms reaching, smiling sweetly.
It's good to touch the green, green grass of home.

Then I awake and look around me,
At the four gray walls that surround me,
And I realize that I was only dreaming.
For there's a guard, and there's a sad old padre,
Arm in arm, we'll walk at daybreak.
Again, I'll touch the green, green grass of home.

Yes, they'll all come to see me
In the shade of the old oak tree,
As they lay me 'neath the green, green grass of home.

[Peter Libra]

I remember someone claiming that this short story is one of the greatest ever written. I do not quarrel with that. There are some schools of thought that say, such comparisons are quite wrong. This could well be true.

Certainly this story is one that once read, is never forgotten. A story in the same vein, is by Sir Henry Newbolt

He Fell Among Thieves

It is the story of a blue blooded Englishman, who faces death by sword in the Far East. I criticize it because he gives his word to the bandits ,not to escape and is allowed to see the sunset, hours later. He is allowed to muse on England alone. (Myself, I would have been off- running like a deer.)

The only consolation that I have- because I surprised myself on Saddam's demise, I digress here. I did not dance and sing. I know he deserved to die and was lucky it was dignified and quick.

The thing is that now all blasted, evil dictators, just might have a second thought. Then there is that mouthy little begger in Iran.

Enough said.

[ER Doc]

Literary ping

[fso301]

What was that Country Music song about the guy put in an electric chair and the preacher said to him:

"Is there anything you want to say because son, in a minute you're gonna be dead?"

The condemned man (I think Johnny was his name)looked to the preacher and said:

"Turn it on! Turn it on! Turn it on!".

[Drango]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=502476250209131783&q=An+Occurrence+at+Owl+Creek+Bridge&hl=en

Here is a video for those too lazy to read it...

[expatpat]

They made a movie of it (B&W).

[expatpat]

Willliam Golding wrote a short story ("Pincher Martin", I believe) with a similar theme, except he was a pilot who crashed near a rocky island.