First The Reader example essay topic

377 words
The two 19th century mystery stories I am going to look at are "The Red Room: by H.G. Wells and "The Signalman" by Charles Dickens. Both stories are written in first person narrative, which gives the writers the ability to tell the story from one view point, leaving out some of the facts, keeping the reader guessing. By leaving certain details out of stories, writers leave their stories open to each readers interpretation, encouraging the reader to think and act upon their ideas. "The Red Room" is set in the typical gothic setting of a dark castle.

At first the reader is led to believe it is a "house", with "spiritual terrors" leading the reader to believe it is a haunted house. However we later learn that it is infact "Lorraine Castle", which heightens the dramatic tension, because castles are often a lot more secluded than houses, which can often be in the centre of a city. The narrator describes himself as walking along a "draughty subterranean passage". He also seems to exemplify everything he says a "great window" a "grand staircase" and an "absolute silence", these enhance the already spooky atmosphere. There is tension in "The Red Room" right from the outset, as the narrator says that it will take a "very tangible ghost" to frighten him.

This engages the reader's interest, and establishes a spooky, unfathomable mood. Then tension in the story continues to heighten, as a man with a "withered" arm is introduced, along with an old woman with "pale" eyes, hanging "wide open". I was attracted to the insecurity of the narrator throughout the story. At the beginning he attempts to reassure himself it will al be fine saying that a ghost would have to be "very tangible" to scare him.

He also looked at himself in the mirror; perhaps checking to see if he had had turned into a repulsive monster on four legs, however it did reassure him when he aw himself "broadened to an impossible sturdiness". This could not reassure him fully however, because his efforts to keep himself in a "matter of fact phase" had not worked, and the custodians "evident unfriendliness" had "affected" him..