A Comparison Between The Red Room and The Signalman
These two stories, though different, have in common their writers intentions which is to keep the reader in suspense. We can see this in many places in the stories, and an example of this relates to the settings and surroundings throughout. The Victorians were very interested in Gothic Literature and this is shown especially in the
‘Red Room’, where Wells borrowed applications such as ghosts, castles and supernatural beings.
Furthermore we can see that the settings have been adapted and chosen to suit the character of the story. In ‘The Signalman’ for example, we can see a mixture of modern and supernatural settings, these reflect the location, mainly being a deep, steep
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The narrators in both stories give very detailed descriptions of the main characters; this was effective as it kept high levels of suspense throughout each story. The rest of the characters in the stories, as in ‘The Red Room’ were gradually introduced, with pieces of information about them being slowly introduced. The suspense in each story was gradually built up, and maintained throughout. Examples of this can be seen in ‘The Signalman’ especially in the first part of the story where the narrator leaves the reader on a cliff-hanger; ‘hallo! below there’. This type of suspense is also in
‘The Red Room’, except with different levels, as the suspense is gradually added. This gives a slow climbing build to a huge climax. To build on the general suspense, the writer added repetitive words throughout, which is affective as it keeps reminding the reader of previous events in the story. This gradually built the tension, and this keeps the reader alert and interested throughout the story.
Furthermore the narrators use irony especially the narrator in ‘The
Signalman’, as he used irony to fear the main character by using a ghost. We can concur that both endings in the stories were satisfactory, as they both had a good ‘summing up’ last paragraph that kept the reader interested right through to the end. As for twists in
The authors of both stories, last but not leastly, use suspenseful moods, the feeling that the story creates within the reader, and dangerous/mysterious tones, an author’s attitude toward the subject or audience of the story, throughout the story. In The Monkey’s Paw, the author says, “...The clock tick.s. A chair creaks. Finally, a quiet knock is heard. Mrs. White jumps up.” This is an example of a suspenseful mood and mysterious tone. In the
The author, Edgar Allan Poe, using illusion or misdirection keeps the reader is suspense throughout this story called "The Masque of the Red Death". Symbolism such as the colored rooms, the impressive clock, the feeling of celebration being at a party all makes this story feel like a fairytale. Poe used this fairytale style and converts it into a nightmare in disguise.
The red room is the scene of the next occurrence of suffering but in a
Trapped in the upstairs of an old mansion with barred windows and disturbing yellow colored wallpaper, the main character is ordered by her husband, a physician, to stay in bed and isolate her mind from any outside wandering thoughts. “The Yellow Wallpaper”, written by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, describes the digression of the narrator’s mental state as she suffers from a form of depression. As the story progresses, the hatred she gains for the wallpaper amplifies and her thoughts begin to alter her perception of the room around her. The wallpaper serves as a symbol that mimics the narrator’s trapped and suffering mental state while she slips away from sanity reinforcing the argument that something as simple as wallpaper can completely
Tobias Wolff’s short story, “That Room” is a very suspenseful story that has the reader on the edge of their seat while reading it. Suspense and excitement is created through the plot and theme of the story which are both developed through four main literary devices. In the story, the narrator is put into what is potentially a life or death situation and it is at this point that he becomes aware that one is never really in full control of his or her own life. Throughout this literary analysis I will discuss the plot and theme of the story in terms of how Wolff uses setting, tone, characterization, and symbolism to enhance both the theme and the plot.
Between the three stories, “The Dogs Could Teach Me,” “The Flowers,” and “The Sniper.” “The Sniper” demonstrates the best suspenseful text between the three stories. To create a suspenseful story, “The Sniper” develops multiple moments of suspense. For instance one illustration of suspense in “The Sniper” is, “He paused for a moment, considering whether he should risk a smoke. It was dangerous. The flash might be seen in the darkness, and there were enemies watching. He decided to take the risk.” This is a suspenseful moment in “The Sniper” because if the sniper risks to smoke, he will be giving away his position and could be shot at by the enemy's. Another representation of suspense is, “Pressing his lips together, he took a deep breath
The fourth and final gothic element Edgar Allan Poe uses in Masque of the Red Death, is the air of mystery and suspense. Poe does this by creating a gloomy setting and entering a ghost that creates mystery because the readers cannot see his face or know what he is or what he is up to. Poe describes him as, “The figure was tall and gaunt, and shrouded from head to foot in the habiliments of the grave.” There is many ways Poe shows the mystery and suspense, Poe also uses a lot of death and blood to create a mystery because the reader doesn’t know who is going to die next, neither does the characters in the story.
Setting places the character and the action to a certain place so that the reader can visualize what is happening in the story. Setting is one of the most obvious similarities between these two stories is their settings. They are both set in dreary, dark, ominous houses for most of the action of the story. One of the houses is set at midnight and the witching hour, and the other house is in disrepair, and is almost disintegrating around the people who live there. Consequently, settings virtually always have implications on the story’s tone. The dark, dreary houses give the stories foreboding tones that add to the horror. Already Poe employs the same setting and tones in these stories that put chills down the readers spines, but they also show the similitude in his writing style.
Setting places the character and the action to a certain place so that the reader can visualize what is happening in the story. The setting is one of the most obvious similarities between these two stories is their settings. Dreary, dark, ominous houses are the settings for most of the action of both stories. “The Tell-Tale Heart”’s action occurs at midnight and the witching hour. “The Fall of the House of Usher”’s house is in disrepair and is almost disintegrating around the people who live there. Consequently, settings virtually always have implications on the story’s tone. The dark, dreary houses give the stories foreboding tones that add to the horror. Already Poe employs the same setting and tones in these stories that put chills down the reader's spines, but they also show the similitude in his writing style.
In Diamant’s powerful novel The Red Tent the ever-silent Dinah from the 34th chapter of Gensis is finally given her own voice, and the story she tells is a much different one than expected. With the guiding hands of her four “mothers”, Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, and Bilhah, all the wives of Jacob, we grow with Dinah from her childhood in Mesoptamia through puberty, where she is then entered into the “red tent”, and well off into her adulthood from Cannan to Egypt. Throughout her journey we learn how the red tent is constantly looked upon for encouragement, solace, and comfort. It is where women go once a month during menstration, where they have their babies, were they dwell in illness and most importantly, where
Also unlike Candide, the tone of Dream of the Red Chamber is immediately foreboding and somber, casting a hypnotic atmosphere over the rest of the story. Images of "cloud-wrapped mountains and mist-covered seas" and "the sound of flutes and strings [which] came from every house" add to the dreamlike atmosphere. The novel is
When it comes to reading literature the most challenging yet important task is to understand the purpose of the author's writing. In Romantic era literature understanding the emotions and thoughts that are created in the reader's mind are essential to gaining a clear message that the writer is trying to send. In Edgar Allen Poe’s short story “The Masque of the Red Death” the narrator immediately introduces the “Red Death”; a disease that has been spreading throughout Prince Prospero’s country; killing his people within half an hour of contracting the disease. Throughout the story the author continuously uses diction and syntax to create suspense and evoke a grim tone to the reader. In the “Masque of The Red Death” Poe produces fearful imagery in the reader's mind through creating a supernatural presence in the setting.
Edgar Allan Poe was an American author born in Boston. He was most known for his unique poems and short stories. Poe was also known for delivering concentrated emotional impact—the feeling the readers gain -- in his stories through use of setting and point of view. Setting being used to establish time, place and mood of events. While, point of view being the reflection of the opinion of the narrator. In Poe’s two stories, “The Masque of the Red Death,” and “The Tell-Tale Heart” Poe was most effective in delivering the emotional impact of fear through the use of both setting and point of view in similar and different ways.
Wells uses powerful description of the Red Room to create an atmosphere of fear and suspense.
The Ways in Which the Writers Create an Atmosphere of Tension, Mystery and Suspense in the Stories The Monkeys Paw and The Red Room