Compare The Whole Towns Sleeping with A Terribly Strange Bed Essay Example

women. Won't catch me out on no night like this one."

This generates anxiety as the reader is aware of the possibility of the Lonely One striking again, yet uncertain about the time, location, or victim of the attack. The narratives take place during the night, a time which typically induces fear and apprehension. This is due to the association of darkness with peril and vulnerability, as limited or zero visibility increases the likelihood of an unexpected assault.

Darkness has been a common tool in film and TV for many years to generate suspense and tension. Both stories use night settings to intensify the tension. In "The Whole Towns Sleeping" darkness plays an even more significant role as most of the tension occurs during nighttime. One example is when the screening room goes dark at the cinema and the suspense is heightened. The story also employs fast dialogue effectively to increase the tension when necessary, such as when Lavinia is being followed and entering her house: "The key fitted."

"Hurry, unlock the door!" she urged, and as it opened she commanded, "Get inside and slam it!" Acting quickly, she closed the door and cried out desperately, "Now lock it, bar it, lock it tight!" The use of fast-paced language intensifies the sense of dread and fear as the events unfold rapidly with increasing tension. As suspense builds, details describing each action become crucial to convincing the reader that the characters are truly experiencing a true sense of urgency.

The use of darkness and mysterious voices creates tension in "The Whole Towns Sleeping". In this story, Lavinia and Francine ascend a rocky path at night and pause when they hear

murmuring below. The voice proclaims "I'm the Lonely one, I'm the lonely one, I kill people." This eerie atmosphere is reinforced by the recurring theme of darkness.

The depiction of fear varies in each story. In "The Whole Towns Sleeping," Lavinia and Francine encounter fear in mundane settings, such as the drug store where a man inquired about Lavinia. Conversely, "A Terribly Strange Bed" features the protagonist experiencing fear in unconventional circumstances, like a gambling house.

The protagonist of the stories always makes the wrong decisions and worsens his situation, as seen in his refusal to stop gambling. This led him to a life-threatening situation. Language tricks are used to heighten tension and suspense, such as the contradictory phrase "Unfortunately I kept on winning" in "A Terribly Strange Bed." This creates uncertainty and anticipation for the reader. "The Whole Towns Sleeping" uses word repetition for suspense, as Lavinia's repeated cries of "safe" while entering her house imply danger lurking nearby.

Despite the reader being able to anticipate the conclusion, a false sense of security is established and then shattered by the sudden entrance of "Someone cleared their throat." The author's cliff hanger ending leaves the reader to ponder and apply their imagination. The killing method employed in "The Whole Towns Sleeping" is comparable to that in the other story. Lavinia's demise may result from her reluctance to heed the advice of her peers and authorities, leading to psychological suffocation.

In the story, the protagonist demonstrates her refusal to have Francine walk home with her and stay over, leaving her vulnerable. This is evident when she declines Officer Kennedy's offer to walk with her, insisting that she

"won't walk the ravine with any man." The protagonist also struggles with self-pity due to being thirty-seven and unmarried, believing that she will never find love and live a fulfilling life. The Lonely One's identity remains unclear, leaving readers to contemplate whether it is a character or merely the loneliness present within the women which contributes to their demise. Comparatively, in "A Terribly Strange Bed," a physical smothering takes place at the hands of a machine disguised as a four-poster bed.

This attempt at suffocation did not result in the demise of the main character, to the reader's relief. Both narratives require the reader to feel empathy towards the characters, or else the reader will not react to any peril faced by the protagonist. This is accomplished in both tales, though it's executed more effectively in "The Whole Towns Sleeping".

Both "The Whole Towns Sleeping" and "A Terribly Strange Bed" build tension and suspense through the use of writing style and dramatic techniques. In the former, Lavinia's beauty makes the reader feel attracted to her, and they hope for her survival. In the latter, the protagonist's normality is contrasted with his arrogance and gambling addiction, which puts his life in danger. While readers are not as passionate about his survival as they are about Lavinia's, both stories successfully keep readers on the edge of their seats.