A Realistic Ghost Story: Action and Philosophy Combined

realization that the ghost does not intend to harm her, resulting in a peaceful night's rest. The choice of an elderly narrator from an affluent background serves to demonstrate that anyone can witness paranormal activity, and underscores the universality of human nature across social classes.

The Red Room's narrator is a confident young man who believes in his own ability to remain unafraid of ghosts, but his belief is challenged when he arrives at Lorraine Castle to investigate the haunted Red Room. The story creates tension for readers who can imagine themselves in a similar situation and wonder if they too would be scared. Similarly to The Farthing House, the opening paragraph adds to the tension with its description of the narrator standing before the fire with a glass.

The protagonist's behavior undergoes a significant change throughout the story. Initially, he exudes overconfidence and arrogance, hinting at an impending misfortune. However, as he approaches the Red Room, his fear and nervousness escalate rapidly. To the extent that he halts mid-stride, clutching his revolver tightly. Upon entering the room, his anxiety amplifies further causing him to meticulously inspect every corner and erect barricades for protection. Although lighting up candles momentarily soothes him with their warmth, it doesn't last long as his apprehension resurfaces before midnight strikes leading to uncontrollable trembling of hands when the candles begin extinguishing.

In "The Red Room," the protagonist experiences a significant shift in attitude as he becomes terrified and nearly panics when darkness takes over the room. However, his perspective changes following his recovery from unconsciousness, leading him to become more open-minded about supernatural occurrences. This transformation is evident in

his agreement with the caretakers' assessment of the presence in question. H.G. Wells uses this character to demonstrate that anyone can believe in ghosts and have such an experience, which is also reflected in "The Farthing House" through a different narrator than that of "The Red Room."

The narrator in `The Red Room' is confident and arrogant, dismissing the existence of ghosts if they cannot be measured or seen. On the other hand, the narrator in `The Farthing House' does not necessarily believe in ghosts but also does not claim to be fearless of them. When both narrators leave their respective locations, Mrs. Flower becomes enlightened while the young man becomes scared of encountering ghosts again. Their motives for visiting are also different; Mrs. Flower visits her aunt without considering ghosts, while the young man is solely interested in a ghost hunt. The portrayal of the narrator in `The Red Room' is preferred over the other as it sets up a dislike due to their arrogance.

By setting the two stories in isolated places with a history of suffering, the tension is intentionally heightened for readers. They are left on the edge of their seats, anticipating something will happen but unsure when. Specifically, "The Farthing House" takes place in a remote area of the countryside, in an old house that was previously used to house mothers with illegitimate babies and later served as a military convalescent home. Today, it overlooks a graveyard filled with young mothers and infants, leaving those who inhabit it feeling completely alone and unprotected.

The village nearby the house resembles an ancient English village wherein one could relish a traditional muffin and

fruitcake tea after attending the cathedral service. This heightens the tension as it suggests that even if the village inhabitants detect any wrongdoing, they are probably too old to intimidate the culprits. Moreover, the room is described as excessively large for one person, thereby creating an impression that someone else should be present, adding to the tension.

'The Red Room' takes place in Lorraine Castle, almost a century prior to the events of `The Farthing House'. The castle is looked after by a trio of caretakers, described by the protagonist as grotesque. The caretakers consist of two men and a woman who fail at their job of maintaining the castle's cleanliness. As the protagonist explores the castle, they consider the possibility of another person having been present, reflecting on the high mortality rates and limited medical knowledge in earlier times.

The castle's exterior is sparsely described, but we do learn that moonlight can filter through the windows and provide the primary source of nighttime illumination. The Red Room itself is large and furnished with a bed, chimney, and two mirrors, but it is also dimly lit, with the narrator's candle unable to penetrate its vastness. The reader is left with a sense of foreboding due to the protagonist's overconfidence and the castle's isolated location, which the caretakers would not even venture to. Conversely, "The Farthing House" author created a stronger sense of isolation through its proximity to a graveyard of deceased children, imbuing the location with an air of spookiness and causing readers to ponder any potential forgotten secrets hidden therein.

The tension in stories is largely determined by the deliberate decisions authors make regarding

the structure of their stories. This includes aspects such as sentence length, the placement of climaxes, and crafting endings to tie up any loose ends. In 'The Red Room', H.G. Wells utilizes longer, more complex and sophisticated sentences with a variety of punctuation such as commas and hyphens to create tension. For example, "I put down my empty glass on the table and I looked across the room, and caught a glimpse of myself, abbreviated and broadened to an impossible sturdiness, in the queer old mirror at the end of the room.' Shorter sentences can break up a story too much, causing distractions and therefore less tension. Susan Wells uses longer sentences as well, but they lack the complexity of 'The Red Room'. The sophisticated word choice in Mrs. Flower's dialogue suggests she is more upper-class than lower-class.

The authors of `The Red Room' and `The Farthing House' use extensive descriptions of characters and surroundings to create deeper connections between readers and the story. Such familiarity allows for better empathy with characters, such as the love-hate relationship that may develop with the arrogant young man in `The Red Room.' This connection heightens excitement during climactic scenes, such as when he runs around in terror. Similarly, readers can feel sympathetic toward Mrs Flower in `The Farthing House,' especially during her encounter with a ghost, but also happy for her when she discovers the truth. In `The Red Room,' the author intentionally places the climax before the end and provides an explanation after to build suspense and offer insight into character perceptions.

In "The Farthing House," the climax occurs before the ending when Mrs. Flower sees the

ghost. This event is described in detail, "I was wide awake, I am quite sure of that, I could hear my own heart pounding, see the bedside table, and the lamp and the blue binding of Sense and Sensibility in the moonlight." The placement of the climax in this position allows for an explanation to follow and keeps the reader curious. Although preferring the structure of "The Red Room," the author appreciates a dramatic climax for its shock value. However, including an explanation scene can be beneficial if there are any uncertainties. Both stories use complex language and an array of descriptive words to create tension throughout.

The utilization of imaginative and descriptive language adds to the captivating nature of a story. Adjectives play a significant role in creating tension by vividly portraying the environment and involving the reader in the story. H. G Wells frequently employs a chain of descriptive adjectives to fully illustrate the narrator's sensory experiences.

When describing the corridor leading to the Red Room, the author creates tension by using descriptive language such as "long draughty, subterranean passage" that conveys the location, appearance, and features of the corridor. Similarly, Susan Wells uses adjective strings to describe the ghost as "young with a flowing, embroidered nightgown, high necked and long-sleeved," making the reader feel like they know her and would recognize her if seen. In "The Red Room," tension is also heightened through the use of specific verbs such as "darted to and fro," which conveys the narrator's desperation to escape in a way that simply saying "moved to and fro" does not.

The addition of tension arises from the character's apparent desperation

to escape, implying the presence of something to flee from. In contrast to "The Red Room," which employs verbs to create a sense of urgency, "The Farthing House" uses them to evoke a feeling of contentment, such as in the line, "On which a fat cat slept beside a fire." This relaxed ambiance might initially reassure readers that nothing wrong could happen in this setting. However, it could also lead them into a false sense of security, rendering them more vulnerable to the anticipated scare later in the plot. In my view, 'The Red Room' author's language surpasses Susan Hill's as it still generates a greater sense of urgency and peril in the narrative, despite being composed over a century ago with evolving preferences.

The story 'The Farthing House' takes a more relaxed and philosophical approach, reducing the tension caused by too much discussion of ghosts, their origins, peaceful or destructive nature, and society's belief in them. The cultural context of the stories helps to build tension. During the time when 'The Red Room' was written, there was a conflict between science and religion regarding who should lead the masses. The story prompts tension as readers will be curious to know which side the author was on, given the high emotions of the time. However, when 'The Farthing House' was written, the conflict between religion and science had ended, and science had won. There was a widespread belief in science by the upper-middle classes, which influenced others to follow suit. This created tension as readers will be keen to learn what the author thought about this shift in societal beliefs.

During the period when `The Red

Room' was written, science was represented by a bold and arrogant man who believed in the infallibility of science. Religion, on the other hand, was personified by the old and tired people who were seen as being on their last legs. The caretaker exhibited her religious side when she spoke about superstitions. After the young man announced his intention to go to the room, she exclaimed, "This night of all nights!" This statement serves as proof of her belief in superstitions. As the story progresses, the young man becomes increasingly frightened of the ghosts that are said to reside in the room and begins to accept the stories told by the old caretakers.

According to the church, one must possess faith in order to believe in God and miracles. As the protagonist in the story gains faith in what the caretakers are telling him, a presence is ultimately revealed. H. G Wells' "The Red Room" depicts a scientist's transformation into a believer in the existence of ghosts, despite their imperceptibility and immeasurability at times. In contrast, nearly a century later when "The Farthing House" was written, the era of ghosts and witches had come to an end, and the age of skeptical individuals who require concrete evidence before accepting anything as fact had begun.

Despite the decline of organized religion, spirituality, encompassing various beliefs, has grown in popularity. Mrs. Flower kept her experience a secret due to potential rejection from her community, and still has not spoken to anyone about it besides writing a letter. The author appears to lean towards spirituality, believing in ghosts without explicitly referencing a specific faith or scientific evidence. Overall, "The

Red Room" is considered the best story.

In my opinion, 'The Red Room' is more thrilling, risky, and captivating. The narrator's assertive attitude, stating 'I'm right, you're wrong,' is preferable over an elderly woman who never thinks for herself and relies on being spoon-fed beliefs. Furthermore, the structure in 'The Red Room' is superior with well-balanced sentence lengths and a perfectly placed climax. The story concludes with a page-long ending discussing theories, concluding about a page from the end. Overall, 'The Farthing House' is a good story, but 'The Red Room' surpasses it in excitement and enjoyment.