Blue Winds Dancing. The narrator here is in clear conflict with the value system of the white men. He is a Native American Indian who is attached to nature and traditional ways of his ancestors. The way of his people is the protagonist's way and the white man's value system -- the "civilization" -- is the antagonist. After living for some time among whites and studying in a college, he is disillusioned with what he found out. He loathes the "civilization" white men tried to teach him. After explaining how his people appreciate such values as sharing and loving the nature, the narrator critiques the idea of "civilization" through sarcasm. "Being civilized means," he says, "living in houses and never knowing or caring who is next door." It also means being greedy, "always dissatisfied -- getting a hill and wanting a mountain. . . . Progress would stop if he did not want these things." The narrator again uses sarcasm when he says "Maybe I am just not smart enough to grasp these things that go to make up civilization. Maybe I am just too lazy to think hard enough to keep up." Here he is taking a jab at claims that non-whites are lazy and not intelligent enough to appreciate the values of white man's civilization.

2. The narrator emphasizes that Native Americans are very attached to nature. It is part of their community. They believe that the nature -- animals, wind, snow, trees, etc. -- are like neighbors. Therefore, when he is close to his home and is literally alone, he says, "I am alone; alone but not nearly so lonely as I was back on the campus at school." On campus, he was lonely because he neither felt the presence of others (because white men lived without basically knowing each other spiritually, he suggests) nor the presence of nature. The school was in California and it was hot there. But now, since he is close to Wisconsin, his home, he is not that alone anymore because "[t]hose are never lonely who love the snow and the pines; never lonely when pines are wearing white shawls and snow...

In the woods I know there are tracks of deer and rabbit . . . ." In other words, no human being is around him now but here at least he feels the presence of nature, while at school he was completely lonely.
3. The narrator continuously uses metaphorical and figurative language to convey his deep feelings. He also uses the language of wisdom. One of these is his use of the phrase "blue winds dancing." The word "blue" figuratively refers to sadness. But the narrator uses the phrase "blue winds dancing" in a context where it suggests one can feel relief and happiness. He uses it alongside his description of his people beating drums, the beauty of nature, and everyone being joyful. So, the narrator probably suggests that by connecting with nature, feeling the presence of snow (which characterizes purity), singing, and dancing, people release their inner sadness or whatever negative feelings they have. Then they feel happy. That is probably what he means when he says that he wants to see "blue winds dancing." He wants to get rid of sadness and other negative feelings by being in his community, dancing, singing, and connecting with the nature.

An Occurrence at owl Creek Bridge.

1. The condemned, as Ambrose Bierce explains with details of his situation, has lost track of time and motion. He lives in his mind only. His perceptions are misleading. He no longer realizes the reality and that he is about to be executed. He is trying to concentrate on the happy moments with his wife and children but he is distracted by the sound of his watch. As Bierce says, "[h]e wondered what it was, and whether immeasurably distant or nearby -- it seemed both." This quote suggests his understanding of motion was distorted. His understanding of time was also distorted because he began to live in his fantasy dreams.

2. Peyton Farquhar was a loyal supporter of the Southern cause during secession. He was a soldier who was ready to do anything (kill, lie, cheat,…