One Man's Fact is Another Man's Fiction

In "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge," shows that the truth in one's imagination can overcome the truth of reality.

In the reality of those watching, Farquhar hung from the bridge meeting the punishment he deserved. However, the realities of the federal soldiers did not match the reality in Farquhar's mind. In the last moments of life Farquhar held on to the one aspect of his being that could not be touched by these soldiers - his imagination.

I can't bring myself to accuse Farquhar of being in denial or getting caught up in his fantasies. His mind escaped to a place where his body couldn't. This story goes to show how powerful the mind is. One can change the face of reality within their own thoughts.

It is a fact that I am afraid of the dark. There is no one who can tell me this isn't true, when all I know, all I am able to accept, is that the dark is a scary and unwelcoming place. If God were to sit Farquhar down and tell him that he died on the bridge, would he believe it? Why should he have to? The man eventually met his death, he should be able to have reached that destination through his own mind's journey.

Fact for some may not be fact for others, but does that necessarily make it untrue?