Peyton Farquhar's trickery becomes evident through the clever manipulation of narrative elements in "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge," where the apparent escape is revealed to be a hallucination just before his actual hanging.
In the short story "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" by Ambrose Bierce, it becomes evident that Peyton Farquhar was tricked through a carefully orchestrated sequence of events. The narrative unfolds with Farquhar, a Southern planter, about to be hanged by Union soldiers during the Civil War. However, it is revealed that the entire escape attempt he envisions—his miraculous escape from the noose, surviving a fall into the river, and a desperate journey home—is nothing but a vivid hallucination experienced in the fleeting moments before his actual execution.
The trickery becomes apparent as the story expertly manipulates the reader's perception, creating a sense of suspense and hope for Farquhar's escape. Bierce skillfully leads readers to believe in Farquhar's fantastical evasion, only to deliver the shocking twist that it was all a product of his imagination. The author employs narrative techniques, such as selective presentation of details and a non-linear timeline, to mislead the audience, making them share in Farquhar's illusory journey.
Ultimately, the realization that Farquhar was tricked emerges as the story concludes, exposing the stark contrast between his desperate yearning for freedom and the harsh reality of his execution.