The Red Room by H.G. Wells

The Red Room by H.G. Wells

The title 'The Red Room' immediately attracts the reader's attention;

it is symbolic but leaves unanswered questions. ?What is the red

room?? Is this room dangerous? Overall the title raises so much

curiosity wanting us to read on and find answers to our questions. Red

is a very strong colour and is generally associated with blood,

danger, warning, hell, and above all, fear, the title also shows the

setting of the story. It makes you wonder why the room is called the

red room and if it is actually red.

The Red Room contains all the elements of a ghost story; the story is

written to illustrate the nature of fear and is an insight into how it

affects the human mind. This story contains all the features of a 19th

century novel; it is set in an old derelict house, it involves moving

through dark passages, and it involves a ghost/haunted room. It also

contains all the features of a good short story. It has an effective

opening, a realistic setting, a limited number of believable

characters and has a plot with a clear conflict, a plot that builds

suspense, excitement, and the plot has a twist at the end. The story

is structured to create and sustain suspense, from the very beginning

right through to the climax of the story where the man is overcome by

total darkness.

The Red Room is based upon the myths concerning a haunted room within

an old derelict castle.

The story is told in first person, which makes it very personal and

allows the reader to feel as if he/she were there. It is about a young

man who volunteers to go and stay overnight in the ?Red Room?. The

room is known to be haunted and there are many myths and legends about

death that are brought up during the story....

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... when his fear has taken his sense of reasoning and he tries

to leave the room and accidently knocks him out. When he finally wakes

up the next morning he realises that there was nothing supernatural

about the room but only peoples fear of the unknown.

The story keeps the reader guessing right up to the end of the story.

The answer is not particularly clear and does not provide the reader

with a final, conclusive answer. This keeps the reader wondering about

the story after he/she has read it. The story reveals that there is no

ghost in the room, just one man?s battle with fear:

?There is no ghost at all; but worse, far worse?Fear!?

This makes you question whether he would have injured himself if he

had not been told about the ghost story at all by the old people. This

still gives a sense of mystery about the room after the answer has

been given.