The Black Cottage Essay Example

the area. If character descriptions were included, the story would lack the same level of tension. The story's nature as a ghost story prompts the reader to wonder if these men were real or supernatural beings. The first page misleads readers into considering that the signalman may also be a supernatural being.

The narrator observes that the signalman appears troubled or preoccupied, which is evident in his peculiar behavior. The first paragraph of the story supports this notion, with the narrator stating that the signalman "turned himself about, and looked down the line" while the narrator was standing above him. Though it is unclear what exactly is causing the signalman's unease, this sense of mystery pervades the entire story and creates a suspenseful atmosphere.

While The Signalman by Collins relied on a chilling theme to create suspense, suspense is built in The Black Cottage through different means. Action is utilized as a narrative tool in this story. The location of the cottage, with its valuable contents, and the solitary nature of the protagonist, creates an atmosphere of impending danger, making one feel that something is about to happen as they read through the story.

When crafting a successful story, an essential element is creating an appropriate setting. This aspect is particularly crucial in eerie narratives like "The Signalman" and "The Black Cottage" as the setting can evoke a sense of foreboding and manipulate the reader's emotions. In both stories, the setting stands out as crucial to the atmosphere: one set in a solitary, humid railway cutting while the other in an isolated cottage cut off from the outside world. In "The Signalman," Dickens deliberately placed

his unsettling signalman in a dark, damp, and profound railway cutting instead of any random signal box. The eerie milieu amplified the chilling effect Dickens intended to achieve, making the setting a crucial element of the story.

The railway cutting area's untouched and secret setting contributes to the suspense of the story, allowing readers to consider the possibility of supernatural or unreal events. Additionally, the isolated location of the black cottage in the story is similar to that of the signalman's and situated about a mile and a half away from any other settlement. Due to their poverty, the family living in the cottage inhabits a "curiously dark, dingy" dwelling.

The main character in the story is a girl who is alone in a dark and dingy cottage with responsibilities. The setting creates suspense and suggests that something may happen. Her isolation adds to this feeling, as there would be nobody around to help her if she gets into trouble or nowhere nearby for her to escape due to the location of the cottage. Both stories, the signalman and the black cottage are set in the 19th Century, using vocabulary typical of that time which is not frequently found in contemporary literature.

Both stories utilize the importance of language and are narrated from the first person point of view. This narrative perspective allows for a stronger connection to the character, leading to a deeper immersion in the plot and heightened suspense throughout.

It is evident from the character's language that the stories were written during the 19th century, such as in "The Signalman" when the character says "This was a lonesome post to occupy (I said), and it

had riveted my attention when I looked down from up yonder". Both "The Signalman" and "The Black Cottage" share similarities and differences, such as their mysterious and suspenseful qualities created through language choices. The authors successfully built up excitement and thrill for readers.

The conclusion of each story was uncertain, except for the conclusion of the black cottages, which was somewhat expected due to the prevalence of similar plotlines in current literature, movies, and plays. Suspense, setting, structure, and language all contribute to creating a thrilling reading experience.