The story is told from the third-person limited perspective, focusing primarily on Peyton Farquhar's thoughts and feelings. This allows the author to manipulate our understanding of time and events.
Here's how point of view contributes to the plot:
* Creating Suspense: The limited perspective keeps us in the dark about the true nature of the events, creating a sense of suspense as we wonder if Farquhar is escaping or hallucinating.
* Manipulating Time: The story jumps back and forth in time, creating the illusion of a longer escape sequence than actually occurred. This is achieved by focusing on Farquhar's subjective experience, blurring the lines between reality and fantasy.
* Heightening Emotional Impact: By seeing the events through Farquhar's eyes, we experience his fear, hope, and despair firsthand. This heightens the emotional impact of the story and the surprise of the ending.
Other elements, like symbolism and foreshadowing, also play a role, but the strategic use of point of view is the driving force behind the story's structure and its surprising and impactful ending.