The main character in The Judges House is called Malcolm Malcolmson. He is very polite and courteous but does seem too sure that nothing will happen to him. "A man who is reading for the mathematical tripos has too much to think of to be disturbed by any of these mysterious somethings". This makes the ending more effective as it is very unexpected. The main character in the Red Room acts very smug and full of vanity. "I can assure you, that it would take a very tangible ghost to frighten me". This emphasises that something is going to come and that it must be big to be able to scare him. Both of these characters are men of science and reason. Both encounter the supernatural and are overcome by it.
Minor characters are used to add extra detail to create a sense of mystery, by adding extra information like the estate agent in "The Judges House" who informs him of the "absurd prejudice" surrounding the house. This helps fill in some of the readers unanswered questions and increases suspense. The description of the minor characters is very different in the two stories. In the Red Room, the minor characters do not even have names. Their appearances are old and withered. "The man with the withered arm…a second old man entered, more bent, more wrinkled, more aged". This makes the atmosphere more eerie. These characters are presented as very spooky and grotesque. I think the narrator is seeing a reflection of his hidden fear. As the stories he hears and the more fear builds up, the older and creepy the characters get. "Man with a withered arm…the old woman with he pale eyes and head swaying slowly side by side…the second man entered, his eyes covered by a shape, and his lower lip half averted, hung pale and pink from his decaying yellow teeth."
In contrast, the minor characters in the Judges House are mostly friendly villagers. I don't think they are really meant to add atmosphere, but for providing the reader with additional information. Dialogue used by these characters builds up the reader's fears and anticipation. "Mercy on us….an old devil, and sitting on a chair by the fireplace! Take care sir, take care!"
The story is told in the first person and events are seen through the narrators eyes. The main character uses numerous words to convey a sense of the supernatural and fear, for example "an ocean of mystery". He makes use of a lot of metaphors to strengthen the image of the supernatural.
The Judge's House takes place over a period of 3 nights. This gives enough time for information, like the fact the house has a "absurd prejudice", to be collected, suspense to be built up and weird experiences to happen, such as the incident with the bible.
In the Red Room tension is created by using dialogue such as "it's your own choosing" and "you go alone". Repetition is also used. For example the line "this night of all nights!" It makes the reader wonder why this night. Also, the man with the withered arm's insisting that it is his own choice, this makes one wonder. Suspense is really introduced when the main character walks down the hallway. It builds up by just using words like "witches, ghosts, vanished men, chilly and dusty". The main character really gets edgy when he thinks there is someone crouching. This grabs the reader as one is drawn into the room along with the gentleman in the story. The author's vivid description of how the candles go out one by one intensifies the suspense. The author uses the image of darkness to maintain tension. The security of light is what the main character believes will keep this ghost away, also, how he keeps his mind off things. "A conversation with myself upon the impossibility of ghosts and haunting". He is trying to reassure himself but then quickly appears to anticipate the ghost's arrival and accepts it. "It occurred to me that when the ghost comes I could warn him not to trip over them".
He uses personification a lot in this scene when he describes the way the candles go out, for example " a invisible hand seemed to sweep out the two candles." Also when he talks about how he sees it as if it was a alive " ragged storm-cloud" and even thought " when he fought the shadows he feared, they returned, and crept in upon him."
In the Judge's House the main build up is the third day. When the storm increases and the big rat keeps coming down the bell rope, in addition to Malcolmson seeing the picture. To keep the tension and to keep the reader's involvement, the author sets the scene where questions are asked. In order to answer these questions, the reader must read on. For example the fact that the house has "been empty so long" makes the reader wonder why its been empty? And why won't anyone live there? The main character's physical health weakens in proportion to the strengthening of the evil that surrounds him. "You are paler this morning than you should be", as he was told.
While both stories are suspenseful, the Judge's House appeals more to present day readers. The ending of the Red Room is quite disappointing as the ghost is not tangible and appears more in the mind of the individual. The Judge's House has a more dramatic ending as the story culminates in the death of Malcolmson, the main character.
