Lamb to the slaughter By Roald Dahl and The Signalman by Charles Dickens Essay Example

aims to scare us with the unknown. His dedication to detail in describing the dangerous and wet environment at the story's start creates tension and suspense in the gothic tradition.

The author employs descriptive language to create eerie or frightening images for nineteenth-century readers, who relied on reading for entertainment. When confronted with such content in a safe environment, readers were likely to experience fear and sensationalism. Roald Dahl's "Lamb to the Slaughter" deceives readers by portraying Mary Maloney and Patrick as happy. Dahl convinces readers that Mary is sweet and even angelic, using phrases such as "glowing" and contented. The author hides the impending tragedy in the story, similar to "The Signalman," which uses foreshadowing throughout the plot. As a result, when shocking events unfold, readers are met with confusion and surprise. Despite their differences in characters and settings, both stories deliver unexpected and profound impacts on readers.

The setting of "Lamb to the Slaughter" appears to be an American suburban home as evidenced by the use of terms like "precinct" for police station and "grocery store" for a shop. Additionally, the presence of the death penalty places the story in the twentieth-century United States. The story takes place inside a cozy living room within the house.

While "The Signalman" takes place during the 19th century Industrial Revolution and is set outdoors by a railway signal-box, Roald Dahl's story features Mary Maloney, a devoted housewife who is six months pregnant and described as angelic.

Patrick Maloney, the husband of the protagonist, is portrayed as a harsh and unappreciative police detective who mistreats his wife despite her obvious love for him. Similarly, in "The signalman," the main

character is a highly educated and dark-looking signalman who, at first, appears unnatural and inhuman to the visitor. However, due to his education and trustworthiness, the reader is convinced of the story's truthfulness. The visitor, also the narrator, comes across as superstitious by assuming the signalman to be a ghost. Nonetheless, he remains rational throughout the signalman's speech. The specter or ghost that the signalman keeps seeing is another significant character that adds to the story's suspense and tension by being mentioned before the description of the signalman's visions.

Utilizing descriptive language in "The Signalman" communicates its sinister and ominous tone. The author utilizes dark and negative language to generate tension and suspense, while appealing to the senses to effectively engage the reader. For example, references to "clammy stone that became oozier and wetter" and "there by dint of looking about me" clearly convey the story's disturbing nature.

Despite using descriptive language, Dahl does not appeal to the senses in "Lamb to the Slaughter". Instead, he creates a contrast between light and dark. For example, when the protagonist walks across the room, she cannot feel the floor beneath her feet.

The first story is structured simply, with short and quick dialogue to maintain reader interest. In contrast, the second story features long, descriptive reported speech that can be monotonous. Roald Dahl's story builds tension and suspense throughout, starting with a happy pregnant wife waiting for her husband and using glimpses into her thoughts to keep the story alive. Dickens' story, on the other hand, features tension from the very beginning as the narrator hints at a ghost before delving into the signalman's story. Ultimately, both stories create a

fascinated, scared, and satisfied reader through different means of building suspense.