The author ends part I this way to maintain suspense about what has happened to Farquhar. By describing his thoughts and hope for escape right before a critical moment, the author keeps readers uncertain about his fate, prompting them to question whether he will succeed or meet a tragic end.
Use the passage from "An Occurrence at at Owl Creek Bridge" to answer the question.
He unclosed his eyes and saw again the water below him. "If I could free my hands," he thought, "I might throw off the noose and spring into the stream. By diving I could evade the bullets and, swimming. vigorously, reach the bank, take to the woods and get away home. My home, thank God, is as yet outside their lines; my wife and little ones are still beyond the invader's farthest advance."
As these thoughts, which have here to be set down in words, were flashed into the doomed man's brain rather than evolved from it the captain nodded to the sergeant. The sergeant stepped aside.
This passage comes at the end of part I in "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge." Why does the author end part I this way? (1 point)
• to show how delusional Farquhar is
to maintain suspense about what has happened to Farquhar
to make readers think that Farquhar has escaped
• to reveal that Farquhar has died
1 answer