chronology and Point of view

In the first section of the story, it is written in third person omniscient. This part of the story is characterized by the tale of a man being led to hang on the bridge. This part also sets up the location of the incident and gives a little background into the story. I feel that the third person point of view adds to the mystery behind the story. This part of the story is interesting because the reader does not know who the convicted man is or why he is in this position. The third person point of view also adds a sense that something bad is going to happen. This part of the story ends with the captain and sergeant walk away from the creek and it is implied that the main character is hung.

In the second part of the story, the point of view is also in third person. The chronology is interesting in this section because it goes back about a week to our main character Mr. Farquhar is on his plantation in the south talking to a confederate soldier. This is where we learn the consequences of going to the Owl Creek Bridge is being hung. We also learn that Mr. Farquhar is a federal spy from the north.

The third part of this story is by far the most interesting and disturbing part of this story. The story changes into an odd mix of third person and first person. This is symbolic because Mr. Farquhar is all mixed up because thinks that he is alive through this whole part even though he is actually hanging from the bridge dead. The chronology of this part is correct however, because this is at the end of the story, and at the end of his life.