Tension and Atmosphere in The Red Room by H.G.Wells, The Signalman by Charles Dickens and A Withered Arm by Thomas Hardy

Tension and Atmosphere in "The Red Room" by H.G.Wells, "The Signalman" by Charles Dickens and "A Withered Arm" by Thomas Hardy

To investigate tension and atmosphere, I have looked at three pre1900

pieces- 'The Red Room' H.G.Wells, 'The Signalman,' Charles Dickens, &

'A Withered Arm' Thomas Hardy. They use a variety of different

techniques, each with their own individual style but achieving the

same overall effect. They focus on setting, description of characters

& use of language.

The Red Room is a tale of a man on a quest to discover the truth about

the legend of 'The Red Room' in Lorraine Castle, as the young man's

fate unfolds the audience are led with him, they feel his fear, hear

his thoughts and experience his terror. 'The Red Room' has such a

mystery behind it, fear itself nearly leads him to his death. A tale

that lacks warmth and everything about it instils terror.

The title of the story has a suggestive air, the word red makes the

audience think of blood, danger, and death, in 'The Signal Man,' red

is also the main focus colour for the same reasons but this time in

the form of the danger light in the mouth of the tunnel.

H.G. Wells writes in the first person so the audience can follow what

is happening and believe they are there, 'I have lived' The opening

line sets the tone of the story, and the audience is filled with

anticipation. The narrator is very confident, which is displayed

almost immediately 'I can assure you, it will take a very tangible

ghost to frighten me.' The audience is then effectively led into an

early assumption that the narrator will be proved wrong, that there

will be a ghost, and it will, most certainly frighten him.

The setting is described in clues hidden thr...

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...oy it more. Therefore this raises questions in the audiences mind,

if only he had gone straight there, he may of saved the poor man's

life, if only, he had believed him. Finally, that it now looked

incredibly doubtful that it was coincidence what the signalman had

'imagined', the words, gesture and even the appearance of the train

driver that had 'cut him down'. Pity is also a great factor in the

conclusion; it makes the story have a more memorable and sad

atmosphere. Finally the way that the narrator, whom had written the

story after it had happened, finished of by giving the audience yet

more to think about, reminding us of its obscurities, unbelievable

coincidences and in turn reinforcing the mournful atmosphere.

'close at the mouth of the tunnel, I saw the appearance of a man,

with his left sleeve across his eyes, passionately waving his right

arm.'