Ghostly Tales: The Red Room and The Signalman

recurring contrast between darkness and light has a significant impact on the corridors. The solitary candle carried by the character serves as a guiding light in the absence of any other direction indicator in the darkness.

Due to his inability to see beyond corners and alcoves during his journey, everything seems more perilous and ominous for him. This is exemplified by his encounter with the statue of 'Ganymede and Eagle' on his way to the red room. The sight startles him, causing him to stand with his hand on his gun for thirty seconds until he relaxes. This is because the darkness conceals the true nature of the statue, leading him to imagine the worst possible scenario...

In 'The Signalman', the atmosphere is reminiscent of 'The Red Room'. However, what sets it apart from other gothic horror stories is that it takes place during the day and in a modern location. This adds to its intrigue and makes readers ponder. The story is set in a signal box located on a railway line that's been cut into a valley. This valley has been deemed 'unnatural' due to its roughness, highlighting the impact of modern technology on natural beauty and how it is being destroyed.

The cutting was characterized by its darkness and dampness, making it uninhabitable and seemingly untouchable due to the clammy, oozing stone that became even wetter as one descended. Additionally, the setting includes a foreboding tunnel where two of the three fatalities occur. Described as 'barbarous', this tunnel exudes a sense of deadly and uncivilized power.

The tunnel in the story is portrayed as having animalistic qualities, making it more unsettling and ominous. This

characterization also positions the tunnel as an unwelcome intruder responsible for most of the tragedies. The contemporary setting of the scene further intensifies the discomfort for the reader, as it creates a sense of unknown territory and unease, like being in the dark. The characters in 'The Red Room' contribute to the ambiance by conforming to the setting; they are mostly aging and disheveled, with grotesque and peculiar traits that match the nature of the old castle.

The narrator admits being affected by the sight of three elderly pensioners responsible for the castle and the antiquated furniture in the housekeeper's room where they congregated.

The three grotesque old people seemed to be from a different, older age, where spirituality was different and uncertain. In that age, omens and witches were believable. Their presence in the room ensured the existence of ghosts and created fear, adding to the tension and apprehension. The narrator remains nameless, possibly to allow readers to emotionally attach themselves to the story and become drawn in further.

In gothic ghost stories, it is common for the narrator to be a sceptic. This is done to convince the reader that all logical explanations have been ruled out, and only supernatural and illogical explanations remain. An example of the narrator's scepticism is when he first arrives at the castle, declaring, "eight and twenty years...I have lived and never ghost as I have seen yet." This showcases his arrogance in his belief that if he hasn't experienced the supernatural, it doesn't exist.

The effectiveness of building suspense is increased by the protagonist's age (28), as he is portrayed as inexperienced and vulnerable to otherworldly and illogical explanations.

His cautious investigation of the room's entrances and exits upon entry exemplifies this. The story depicts the three housekeepers as elderly and unattractive, as described by author HG Wells.

The story features a woman with pale, vacant eyes that appear to be staring, as well as two men - one with a withered arm and the other with a sliding lip revealing decaying teeth and gums. These physical abnormalities highlight the age of the castle and the housekeeper, and emphasize their grotesque nature. Additionally, fear has become a personified character in the story.

The way fear is depicted in the story and the conclusion portrays it as having human-like qualities in the way it behaves and moves. For instance, there is a scene where an "invisible hand" seemingly snuffs out two candles on a table, while another scene shows "shadows" that are fought against and feared returning to creep back over the character.

Both 'The Red Room' and 'The Signalman' have nameless narrators, which may be to engage readers and encourage them to empathize with the character's experiences. In 'The Signalman', readers witness the narrator's scientific explanations fall short.

It can be deduced that the protagonist is a young and educated man due to the lack of reference to his age and how the signalman and train driver refer to him as 'sir'. Although he holds a lowly job, the signalman is an unusually intelligent person, which begs the question of why he ended up in that position. The signalman's striking appearance coincides with the idea of him being visited by the unknown; he is described in greater detail compared to other characters in the story and

has dark features, including a sallow complexion, a dark beard, and heavy eyebrows, which is often associated with the supernatural in this genre of stories.

The spectres in the story are significant characters who do not speak but have a significant impact on the plot, often leading to the deaths of various characters, including the protagonist. They are considered a bad omen because they only appear when death is imminent and typically conceal their emotions or gestures by covering their faces. It is suggested that they may be the last thing the signalman sees, and they alert him to their presence by generating a peculiar vibration in the signal bell. The signalman distinguishes this vibration from a typical bell, stating, "I have never mistaken the spectre's bell for a man's."

According to the narrator who is with him in the signal box, the ghost ring is a peculiar vibration in the bell that is not caused by any other source. This indicates that only he can perceive the sound of the bell.

The danger light seems to attract the spectres' appearance in the same spot, possibly as a way to emphasize the word "danger." Tom, the train driver, plays a small yet crucial role in the story as the last person to witness the signalman alive and imitate the gestures of the spectre. Tom's credibility adds to the signalman's reliability and truthfulness about seeing the figures. The Red Room shares similar imagery with other ghost tales.

Utilizing the imagery of light and darkness along with sensory techniques, ghost stories aim to create fear in readers while still engaging their interest. This is due to the reader's

ability to instantaneously comprehend and empathize with the characters' emotions. A notable example comes from "The Red Room," where...

The darkness was before me, unexpected and stranger-like. This particular use of sight imagery allows the reader to visualize the situation and make a personal connection to it. Empathy for the protagonist is then created, encouraging engagement with the story. The Signalman utilizes the technique of imagery in a similar manner to The Red Room, but with heightened effect as it employs multiple senses. In addition to sight (i.e. danger light and apparitions), there is also the use of a threatening color, red, as in The Red Room.

The Signalman employs the concept of darkness through a tunnel that exudes an unwelcoming and savage aura.

The tunnel's massive architecture exudes a barbarous and foreboding air, exemplified by the gloomy red light and entrance. The personification of hearing includes disturbing analogies to emphasize the devilish sounds that can be heard. A quote describing "the wind and wires" taking up a long lamenting wail suggests a murky supernatural world where stories are whisked along telegraph wires as if sending a message of warning to higher powers.

This story heavily focuses on touch and sensation, while also exploring the concept of fear personification through the phrase "the slow touch of a frozen finger tracing out my spine."

By incorporating sensations into their stories, authors can engage readers on a deeper level. In "The Signalman," for example, the warmth of the fireplace provides a contrast to the dank and miserable weather outside and helps create a sense of safety for the signalman when he encounters spectres. The use of sensory details draws

readers into the characters' experiences and enhances their emotional reactions. In "The Red Room," the structure follows traditional principles of the horror genre, including the rule of three, withheld information, and climactic twists. This is evident in the three grotesque housekeepers and the narrator's three screams, which have an ominous quality like an incantation. These techniques create an unnerving atmosphere that leaves a lasting impression on readers.

The Signalman features a captivating story that utilizes the rule of three, presenting three accidents on a specific stretch of rail, the signalman touching the narrator's arm three times to reinforce their point, and the narrator visiting the signalman's box three times. The actual event that leads to a fatality also involves three events. In a gothic ghost story, creating unanswered questions in the initial stages is common to captivate the reader's attention. However, The Red Room bucks this trend by leaving more questions unanswered than answered.

The technique used in these stories is to keep the reader thinking about the narrative even after they have stopped reading. The stories raise questions such as "why is the old man's arm withered?", "how was it discovered that the place was haunted?", and "why is this day so important?". The answers to these questions are not given, which prompts the reader to draw their own conclusions and create their own endings. This leaves an impression on the reader's mind and may even result in nightmares. The Signalman uses this technique to a lesser extent, with fewer questions left unanswered. The only unanswered question is why the signalman did not hear the train or its driver before his death. The Red

Room builds up tension and engages the senses, leading to a climactic plot twist.

While the mini climaxes in the stories keep the reader hooked, the concept of fear incarnate occupying a room fails to evoke enough terror or uncertainty in readers. On the other hand, The Signalman offers a strong climax with a major plot twist. The protagonist, who has visions of others' deaths, ultimately sees his own. This conclusion and climax are effective because they challenge the reader's assumptions.

The Signalman short story used various senses to captivate me, and I became engrossed in it, with an anticipation of the narrator dying. The story's climaxes revealed the characters and led to a shocking end, leaving me with lingering questions. In contrast, The Red Room failed to intrigue me enough to explore beyond its conclusion.

When it comes to gothic ghost stories, sensory stimulation is essential for inducing terror. The information conveyed by the written words must successfully evoke a visceral response and engage all of the senses in order to achieve this. By prioritizing sensory input, rather than treating it as a peripheral element of the story, the author is able to create an immersive and terrifying experience for the reader. When all of our senses are engaged simultaneously, we are more likely to abandon our rational faculties and succumb to fear.

Through the senses, 'The signalman' captivates and maintains the audience's imagination, making it my personal opinion.