Final answer:
Ambrose Bierce uses foreshadowing in his stories by depicting sensations and emotions that hint at the characters' fates, creating a tension-filled atmosphere that suggests impending death, as seen in the hanging of Peyton Farquhar. Option A is the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ambrose Bierce was known for his realistic and often dark stories, particularly those set during the Civil War. In his writing, Bierce masterfully uses foreshadowing as a technique to build tension and prepare the reader for future events.
A clear example is found in his story about Peyton Farquhar, a character who is hanged at the end of the story. Bierce uses descriptions of sensations and emotions to hint at Farquhar's impending death, creating an atmosphere of doom. The description of Peyton falling into the black water symbolizes his descent into death, and the darkness portrays the gloomy nature of this event, which is indeed synonymous with the coldness and finality of death.
Therefore, in the context of the statement provided by the question, the true answer is (a) because Bierce's narrative does foreshadow Peyton's hanging through these descriptive elements.