3. Describe Bierce's literary technique using foreshadowing and its effect of fully engaging his reader. 4. Explain the metaphor that "Death is a dignitary" in the first paragraph.
5. What examples of military etiquette or rules of conduct are described in the story? Why are these important?
6. What do the bridge and the fast-moving water below represent? Explain the symbolic meaning of the loose boards and "unsteady footing."
7. Explain what Farquhar's wife represents? Why does he reject what she represents in his reckless mission to suppress Union forces?
8. Do we know whether Farquhar actually burned the bridge? Though we are told the Union scout planted the idea in Farquhar's mind to burn the bridge and then must have reported Farquar's betrayal which resulted in his sentence to be hanged, how do we know he actually committed the crime and deserves to be hanged?
9. Describe the transcendental experience of Farquhar willing the noose to give way and envisioning his escape into the arms of his wife and safety, then the "white light" rather than the reality of his corpse's broken bones of death.
10. Tell the story using the same sequence of events, but from the Union Captain's point of view.
11. Describe the symbolism of the "pendulum" (first paragraph of section III) and how it relates to time, the hanging, his emotions.
12. The Federal troops were required to comply with the Liber Code, instructions for armies in the field, imposed by President Lincoln in 1863. Discuss the soldiers' conduct described in the story. Did they follow the letter of the Lieber Code?