Examine three different ghost stories; how successfully have the authors involved the readers in their story? Which story seems to make the best use of suspense?

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English Coursework

Examine three different ghost stories; how successfully have the authors involved the readers in their story? Which story seems to make the best use of suspense?

The three ghost stories that we have examined are 'The Signalman', 'Turn of the screw' and 'The Girl I Left Behind Me'. 'The Signalman' is a short story written in 1866 by Charles Dickens. 'Turn Of The Screw' is a novella written in 1898 by Henry James. 'The Girl I Left Behind Me' is another short story written in 1957 by Muriel Spark.

There are two characters in 'The Signalman', himself and the narrator. The narrator meets the Signalman at a railway cutting and is strangely received by the Signalman. The narrator returns the next day to here the Signalman's story. The Signalman tells him of the haunting that he has been experiencing recently at the cutting. The spectres seemed to foretelling a tragedy that is going to occur. Previous prophesies have turned out when a woman dies at the cutting and it is just time before the Signalman's death comes just as predicted.

The Signalman is articulate in that he explains everything clearly. For