The introduction of this short story really captures the reader because there is an image of a man, in the midst of war, about to die. This offers the reader the ability to absorb what is happening before delving into the very complex plot that lies ahead. However, there is not enough information given to the reader to understand what the story is actually about.
When the story begins, it is in the third person point of view allowing the reader to get the image of the setting in mind. This perspective sets up for the moment when Farquhar’s thoughts and feelings finally become relevant and expressed. At the beginning of the second part, Farquhar is finally introduced and the story of why how he got to the bridge is explained. Bierce then goes deeper into telling the pain Farquhar was feeling on his wrists because of being hung which takes the narration away from his thoughts for a moment, and more on the physical struggle of that moment, then tells in great detail how he got to be there as if Farquhar is remembering the events for one last time before he actually passes.
By continually switching around what point of view is being used, Bierce is able to create a more complex plot and leave the reader on the edge of their seat as it is unknown what twist is going to come next. By switching tenses, it also allows for different parts of the story to be told at different times, thus information that is important for the beginning is not revealed until the end allowing for ambiguity into what is actually happening to Farquhar.
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