The Railway Cutting and Packer’s End
Both the Railway Cutting and Packer’s End are similar settings because they are both haunted and feared places. The Railway Cutting and Packer’s End also create alike atmospheres which are sinister, dark and menacing. This is because: the Railway Cutting is described as ugly, dark; ominous a scar on the countryside and the weather there is daunting and gloomy. Like the Railway Cutting Packer’s End is also pictured as dark and evil because it has a reputation of being haunted, there are many stories about Packer’s End which include tails of Werewolves, Witches and spirits of German soldiers.
The Signalbox and Mrs Rutter’s Cottage
These are the two places in either story that are regarded as safe or secure places.
The Signalbox must feel like a safe place because it is warm and distances itself away from the dark, gloomy atmosphere that is portrayed outside. Nothing really spooky seems to happen when the Signalman is inside the Signalbox so we as the reader feel that the Signalman is not under any real danger during his time spent in the “safe place,” the Signalbox.
Mrs Rutter’s Cottage must also feel like a safe place because it is a “Cosy Old Lady House.” What could possibly go wrong in an old lady’s cottage? Mrs Rutter seems a sweet old lady, for example: she makes a cup of tea for Sandra and Kerry, she offers them a biscuit and always refers to them as “duck” or “dear,” this makes us feel comfortable and at ease with the situation so we feel Mrs Rutter’s house is a perfectly safe place to be.
Similarities Between the Settings
1.Both stories begin outside - In The Signalman the narrator approaches the Signalman at the Railway Cutting which is outside, and in The Darkness Out There the story begins outside with Sandra walking through a field filled with ox-eye daisies, vetch and cow parsely.
2.Both settings are very descriptive – Both settings are described in much detail. The Darkness Out There mentions the flowers that are in the field, the bright sunny weather, the carefree sort of environment (etc). The setting in The Signalman is also described in great detail. The dark, gloomy, miserable weather is included in the description of the setting. The Railway cutting is said to be an ugly eyesore.
3.Both stories are through the eyes of a main character – In The Signalman the story is through the eyes of the Narrator and in The Darkness Out There the story is through the eyes of the main character, Sandra.
4.Both stories are more inside –During the Signalman most of the story is set inside the Signalbox and in The Darkness Out There the story is mainly set inside Mrs Rutter’s cottage.
Differences Between the Settings
1.The Signalman – Is gloomy, menacing, dark, daunting, evil (etc).
2.The Darkness Out There (begins) – sunny, happily, carefree which is totally opposite to The Signalman
Tension and Concern
In the Signalman there is a far greater level of tension and concern than there is in The Darkness Out There. The tension in The Signalman is built up during the times when The Signalman sees the Spectre appear and when he sees the red danger light come on. This is because The Signalman knows that something bad is going to happen but he cannot put a stop to it (this creates tension). The level of concern is built up during the time when The Signalman feels pain from being helpless and becomes concerned with himself, he wonders if he is going mad.
The Signalman’s visions and behaviour creates a high level of tension and concern when he sees the Spectre because he knows that something terrible is going to take place but he cannot help it. Whereas, in The Darkness Out There there is little tension during the story because nothing really gripping takes place but a high level of concern is created by Mrs Rutter because of her actions and speech, at one point Mrs Rutter begins to swear about the Germans and shout. This concerns the reader and makes the reader feel that Mrs Rutter is evil and cold-hearted.
Main Characters
The Signalman – Troubled at first, not afraid to show his feelings, educated, honest, nice.
Mrs Rutter – Seems sweet at first, a liar, cold-hearted, evil.
Mrs Rutter and The Signalman have two totally different personalitys as you can see from the descriptions (above). But the characters do have one thing in common, that is they both seem to develop into two totally different people during the course of either one of their stories. The Signalman developes from a troubled old man into an honest, educated, sane humanbeing, and Mrs Rutter seems to do the opposite of The Signalman and turns from a sweet old lady into a cold-hearted, wicked old woman.