The character from “The Monkeys Paw” Sergeant-Major makes an appearance at the White Families house with out them knowing that he was going to come. This then creates tension and suspense for the reader to find out what who the person is. Before Sergeant-major Morris arrives at the house, the writer used words such as 'placidly,' soothingly,' 'hospitable,' and 'condoling' to describe the mood in the house. After when sergeant has arrived at the house, the mood changes with the writer using powerful and effective words such as: 'Pulsating,' 'oppressive,' 'magic,' and 'hoarsely.' The writer has used onomatopoeia in the story to create suspense, e.g. 'As the gate banged too loudly and heavy footsteps came towards the door.' This makes the reader think that the person entering the house must be someone big and strong.
The characters from “The Monkeys Paw” are not fully described, in the text it doesn’t describe them from there clothes and there appearance which tells us that they are mysterious characters. The writer describes the paw to be "Just an ordinary little paw, dried to a mummy" I think that it has being describe in this way to make the white family think that it is no big deal so that they will stop asking about it. Also it is described that the paw had a spell put on it by an old fakir to show that fate ruled people's lives. Then the sergeant told them about the man who had the paw before him that he didn't know what the first two wishes where but the third was for death. I think this was said in an attempt to scare them off. The writer has used simple similes throughout the story to create suspense. 'It twisted my hand like a snake.' Here the author is trying to create horror images in our minds. The writer has said three several times e.g. there were three warnings from the Major, three wishes, and three knocks on the door. This builds up tension because three is often seen as magic number.
By looking at the title of 'The Red Room,' the word 'Red' symbolizes many things. The color red has a connection with devil, danger, death, blood, red eyes and red reflections which creates suspense and makes the reader wondering as why the story is called 'The Red Room.' The first line of 'The Red Room' is 'I can assure you,' said I, 'that it will take a very tangible ghost to frighten me.' From this first line the reader can find out two things, firstly that the story involves ghost and secondly that the man is very educated person. 'It is your own choosing,' the author has used repetition in the story to create suspense. The old man is trying to warn the young man but at the same time he is leaving the 'decision' to him. Another use of repetition is on page two where the old woman keeps on repeating, 'This night of all nights.' We never find out why that night is important but it gives the reader a warning. This sentence questions the reader as why the night is important.
The word 'Death' was mentioned when the young duke had died in the Red Room which makes the reader think that history might repeat it's self during the man's visit to the Red Room. A gun is also mentioned, which is linked with death, the reader may wonder if it will need to be used during this short story. H.G. Wells' has used images of ghosts and evil powers with words likes 'decaying', 'withered', 'grotesque', 'monstrous', 'echoes' and 'ghostly'. These are all words that associate with inhuman beings and it is very effective. The author has given the old people an old language and to the man the author has given an upper class and stylish vocabulary.
The candles in the room are "cheery" and "reassuring" but after midnight the "Black shadows sprang back", personification is used here to create suspense on a lot of darkness that fell upon the room. Personification is used in this sentence, 'shadows seemed to take another step towards me.'
Tiling" and "crackling" to help describe the situation. Metaphors are used regularly and liberally: "my candle was a little tongue of light in its vastness that failed to pierce the opposite end of the room, and left an ocean of mystery and suggestion beyond its island of light"; "the flames were still dancing between the glowing coals, and splashing red reflections upon the furniture". The ending of the story is a slight twist. One expects a more conventional ghost but what is found in the room is fear itself. However, it is suspected from the very start that there is going to be something in the room. Just from the first sentence there is an immediate cause for concern.
I think the story is written well. It is good at building the suspense as the man goes to the room and also it keeps the reader interested as one wants to know what it is in the room. It has lots of clichés but at the time it was written this was a new, scary idea. With the story being so old there is bound to be clichés.
At the time the story was written I think it would have been a very effective story written in a new style for the age it was in.