Tension and Suspense in The Red Room by H.G. Wells

Tension and Suspense in The Red Room by H.G. Wells

In H.G Wells’ The Red Room tension and suspense are created through

the characters, the plot and the setting. The setting is typical of

Gothic and Victorian ghost stories. In these times there was no

electricity so use of candles for light created an eerie atmosphere.

They had no modern technology like televisions for entertainment so

they used books and story telling. Also people in Victorians times

were less educated than we were now so they relied more on religion

than science which made them more gullible which adds to the suspense

as they were more likely to believe this story.

Short stories usually have to start well to attract a reader’s

attention and keep it throughout. The best way to do this is to begin

with an enticing level of tension and keep building up throughout the

story. Wells uses literary techniques such as short clauses and good

word choice to build up the suspense.

The story is based on three old characters warning a man not to stay

in the isolated red room, but him being over confident that nothing

haunts the room, he goes and stays there over night.

Talk about connotations of colour in the title!!!!

The characters build the suspense straight away as they do not tell

the man their names, which creates a lack of personalisation. It makes

the reader feel as if they are hiding something, and that maybe they

are subhuman. Also the description of each of the old characters is

abnormal. The old man is described with a “withered arm” which is a

feature of horror which can create pictures in the reader’s mind of

peculiar person.

“Decaying” and “yellow teeth” are both phrases which implies a huge

contrast between the man and the old people. The man is young and

confident about going to the red room and he is also un-believing in

ghost. The old people are awkward to one anther and towards the

man,”with their gaunt silences”, “evident unfriendliness”. He will

fear these old people and if the narrator feels uneasy so will the

reader.

The repetition of warnings is another factor that creates suspense.

Each of the characters warns the man repeatedly of the danger in the

room. The man with the withered arm repeats several times “it’s your

own choosing” The other old man shows his “small and bright and

inflamed” eyes. His eyes are portrayed like fire, and fire is a symbol

of danger. The young man again sees “another Glance of his red eyes”.

The old woman repeats “this night of all nights”.