The Red Room By H Essay Example

plot, which is a technique employed by Wells.

In "The Red Room," the narrator created by Wells is enigmatic and oblivious to his surroundings, disregarding the questions posed by the peculiar characters as he heads towards the red room. This amplifies the story's apprehension and curiosity, potentially because Wells aims to obscure the narrator's intentions. Similarly, in "The Signalman," the characters initially misinterpret each other as phantoms or other paranormal beings, which enhances the general feeling of anxiety throughout the narrative.

As the reader reads a story, they are encouraged to anticipate and forecast its conclusion. As the plot advances, their interest is aroused, and they search for answers to their inquiries. In my view, The Signalman is a character who is rather quiet but exudes an aura of secrecy and enigma. He does not openly divulge facts about himself, as seen in his exchange with the narrator when he remarks "It is very difficult for me to impart, sir." However, he remains an accomplished railway worker with excellent job proficiency.

The signalman finds it difficult to talk about a certain topic, but promises to try and discuss it if the narrator visits again. It is clear that the signalman wants the narrator to trust him before sharing this information. In the end, it is revealed that the signalman had seen signs of his own death.

The narrator's lack of self-disclosure to the signalman heightens the reader's sense of tension and adds supernatural significance to the story. The narrator's curiosity about the signalman is evident through his persistent questioning, yet he remains a mysterious figure without any personal details provided. The combination of these elements serves to create

suspense for the reader as the story unfolds.

The text reveals that the protagonist is inquisitive and wants to assist the signalman. His curiosity is exemplified by his inquiries like "Did it cry out?", "But nothing followed? Nothing came of this?" and "Into the tunnel?". He is engrossed in learning about the spectres' sightings from the signalman. Additionally, we infer from his internal monologue before meeting the signalman for the last time that he plans to find the best medical professional to aid him.

It is evident that the narrator in "The Signalman" is concerned about his friend, the signalman, and values his opinion. However, it remains unclear why he is motivated to assist him. "The Red Room" utilizes characters with deformities and grotesque appearances to heighten tension and unfamiliarity in the setting. As the narrator travels to this location, inner dialogue reveals his anxiety about what could potentially occur in the room.

While in the room, the narrator becomes unnerved after realizing he is in the same place his predecessor was found. This creates tension and suspense, as the reader is left uncertain about what will happen next. The narrator's demeanor shifts from rational to fearful as he is unsure of what lingers in the red room. It isn't until he speaks with other characters at the end of the story that we discover the source of the haunting.

He informs them that the most dreadful thing that can torment a helpless human being is...

...Dread! Dread that will be silent and dark,...

The tension in the story is not created by supernatural occurrences, but rather by the characters' fear of them. Those with deformities represent

warnings from the narrator's conscience urging against going to the red room, diverting attention away from his own fear. In "The Signalman," ambiguity surrounds the relationship between two characters who mistake each other for ghosts and are unsure how to proceed.

At the beginning of the story, they are strangers. However, as they converse and progress through it, they develop a strong friendship despite their limited time together. They exchange personal information and the signalman poses a specific question to the narrator: "Let me ask you a parting question. What made you cry 'Halloa! Below there!' tonight?" He is uncertain if these words hold any significance since he has heard them many times before. Additionally, they engage in small mind games with each other throughout the tale, but whether or not these have any significance remains unclear.

When analyzing "The Red Room," I noticed that the deformed characters were primarily concerned with the narrator's safety and well-being. They warned him of potential dangers in the red room, often using the phrase "It's your own choosing" to emphasize this point. This strategy appears to have been effective as the narrator admits at the end of the story that fear had plagued him. Despite their fragile relationship, their shared experience created an unexplained bond within the narrative.

In "The Signalman," Dickens uses words like 'dreary', 'dark', 'secluded', 'cold', 'deserted', 'dangerous' and 'lonesome' to depict the setting and atmosphere. The intention is for readers to feel as though they are experiencing the location in person. These words create an image of a dungeon or similar isolated place, evoking feelings of being trapped away from the outside world. Additionally, the cutting

that leads to the signalman is described as 'deep and precipitous,' adding tension and suspense as readers imagine slowly making their way down to the signalman.

The narrator's description of the light and dark areas evoke the emotions of hope and despair. The cutting's stone is characterized as becoming 'oozier and wetter' as the narrator descends, with 'so little sunshine' adding to the tension and suspense. Upon reaching the signalman's occupied area, there is an 'earthy, deadly smell' and a gust of wind that makes the narrator feel as though he has left the natural world. This emphasizes the isolation of the area and its differentiation from the narrator's world. Additionally, we learn about the signalman's office and encounter with the spectre.

Despite not being as detailed as the area outside, the way in which the locations are described in "The Red Room" by Wells still manages to build tension and suspense through vivid imagery. The narrative immerses the reader in the story by painting a clear picture of the setting and action taking place within an old castle building.

The hallway that the narrator walks through is portrayed as a shadowy and enigmatic place that one would not dare to venture alone. Within the room where the narrator converses with the misshapen characters, there is a creaking door that heightens suspense by hinting at the antiquity of the structure. The portrayal of the red room has a gothic quality that aligns with gothic literature. As the candles mysteriously extinguish, readers are left to ponder the reason behind this phenomenon while following the narrator's journey plagued with panic and nervous energy.

The tension rises for the reader as the

narrator panics over the continuous extinguishing of candles, with no end in sight. The candles going out suddenly and in clusters also adds to the suspense. To build up the story, Dickens employs flashbacks in "The Signalman", causing the reader to contemplate the events. The story's three days are not presented chronologically, resulting in a jigsaw-like effect. The use of language and imagery intensify the sense of tension and suspense.

The reader experiences tension and suspense as they learn of events and anticipate the narrator's reaction. The signalman does not explicitly inform the reader of the varying tones of the bell, requiring their imagination to grasp the different sounds. This intensifies interest in determining what each tone represents. In "The Red Room," Wells utilizes light and dark imagery to illustrate the narrator's emotions and thoughts in the supernatural setting, all while providing vivid descriptions using well-chosen adjectives such as 'darkness', 'chilly', 'echoing', 'black', 'silver', 'light', and 'sudden/suddenly.' Although the narrator refers to the space as the 'red room,' no clear indication confirms it as such.

The reader feels suspense and tension as they are unsure why the room is called red, unless it is due to a previous death. Wells enhances the action with well-chosen verbs. In comparison, "The Signalman" by Charles Dickens gradually reveals its story and has a significant climax that intrigues the reader. Overall, H.G. Wells' "The Red Room" is effective, while "The Signalman" by Charles Dickens is more interesting for the reader.

In my opinion, G. Wells's story is comparable to "The Signalman" and enjoyable, but lacks character and story introductions leaving the reader to fill in the gaps. The narrator's presence is unclear

and left me questioning throughout the text. Dickens, on the other hand, utilizes the supernatural aspect of his narrative more effectively to engage the reader.