Does Farquhar Ever Really Escape?

It is revealed that Farquhar never escaped at all; he imagined the entire third part of the story during the time between falling through the bridge and the noose breaking his neck.

What happens to Farquhar at the end of the story?

The entire story leads up to the tragic end where Farquhar dies. The story wanders rather slowly through different events in his life. Thus, the story is ultimately a flashback, because Farquhar begins by standing on the scaffold. The end is where he is actually hanged.

Does Farquhar survive the hanging?

“An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” is a short story by Ambrose Bierce in which Peyton Farquhar prepares to be executed and dreams of escape. Returning to the moment of his hanging, Farquhar loses consciousness. In his mind, Farquhar escapes, but the execution is ultimately successful.