The settings of the three short stories differ, but all share a sense of remote isolation. In the ‘Monkey’s Paw’, the White family’s house is extremely isolated and cut off from all apparent contact with the outside world. This setting suggests that they are in their own world, yet their house seems to be as normal as any other family’s home would be, “in the small parlour of Laburnum Villa the blinds were drawn and the fire burned brightly.” The atmosphere inside is warm, cosy and is a desirable place to be. By way of contrast, however W.W. Jacobs describes the isolation of the Whites’ external environment using negative images, it is, “beastly, slushy out-of-the-way place(s) to live in.” Thus, it seems quite natural for them not to get many visitors, making the Sergeant Major’s visit seem very unusual. They are cut of, apparently, from the rest of the world.
This setting shares similarities with that of ‘The Signalman’, as the railway cutting is extremely isolated and difficult to access. It is where the entire story is set. The signalman, like the White family, is also in his own small world, remote and far from everything else. He spends long periods of time without anyone else to talk to or see. The narrator remarks, “his post was in as solitary and dismal place as ever I saw” giving the impression that it was both an unpleasant place to work and in distasteful surroundings. The surroundings seem almost unreal, as the atmosphere is described as in an eerie, manner, “there was a barbarous, depressing and forbidding air” and “a dripping wet wall of jagged stone” formed part of the cutting, which further adds a sense of alienation. The narrator observes that the effect upon him was to feel as if he “had left the natural world”, giving a surreal edge to his sensation, and therefore the experience of the reader.
Isolation is also depicted in the third story, ‘The Dream Woman’ sharing comparisons with ‘The Monkey’s Paw’ and ‘The Signalman’. The character, who is isolated in this story, is a man, Isaac, who has terrible dreams about being killed. He is known by people he works with to be on his own most of the time, sleeping and occasionally shouting out weird things in his sleep. The inn at which he works is also extremely isolated, as it takes the doctor quite a while to reach. The first part of the short story is set at the inn. Hearing about Isaac’s past life change the scenery and timing completely, as Isaac once lived with his mother; who only wanted him to be happy. When Isaac goes to search for jobs, he again is on his own for long periods of time, whilst travelling, which isolates him, just as the signalman and the White family are isolated.
In ‘The Signalman’ ominous and detailed references to the senses are employed, for the narrator describes a build up of movement as the train approaches which causes him to “start back as though it had the force to draw (him) down”. The trains approach begins as a ‘vague vibration’, which changes into a ‘violent pulsation’ and then becomes an ‘oncoming rush’. The writer’s use of adjectives and personification, as well as ghost story conventions such as “vapour” and rushes of “air” in his description of the train itself transform it into an almost ghostly predator. As well as “air”, a “cold wind” “rushed through” the tunnel which “struck chill’, and an “earthy deadly smell” prevailed again suggesting to the narrator that he “had left the natural world”.
Dickens’ references to just two colours also contribute to the sense of mystery, which he conveys, for they contribute to the atmosphere of suspense, “the other direction terminating in a gloomy red light and the gloomier entrance to a black tunnel”. The idea of a tunnel and a spot where “little sunlight ever entered” increases the sense of the unknown, which Dickens intends to convey, making it mysterious.
All three short stories take place in the dark, adding to an even greater sense of mystery and making them seem more frightening. It is a human trait to be anxious about things that happen in the dark, as any physical threat cannot be seen. The writers have cleverly chosen to use the dark or shadowing, gloomy places to convey alarm and to promote the feeling that something will go wrong, thereby deepening the element of mystery.
Darkness, shadow and references to death abound in each of the three stories, with blackness often being juxtaposed with light, symbolising a tension between good and evil. The Sergeant Major in Jacobs’ story speaks with “tones so grave that a hush fell upon the group”. Later, “the thing” which knocks repeatedly upon the White” door in a “stealthy” manner three times, comes in the darkness of night, while in the “quiet and deserted road” the “street lamp” was “flickering”, just one adjective of many which give a nightmare quality to the story. Again, the number three predominates.
In ‘The Dream Woman’ also, Isaac sleeps and dreams by the ‘”light if a flickering candle”, awakening the landlord and his family with his shouts of “Murder!” Light is brought into Isaac’s room, when the landlord carries in a candle. However, outside, the “night was dark”; yet even being turned out into the night comes as a “relief” to Isaac, after his terrible dream. Ghostly images and references appear in all three stories, which encourages not only dramatic impact, but also invites a type of sympathy and even empathy from the reader, again brought about by the writers’ fine use of description. The Whites’ are described, for example as being “trembling, old” and “slow-witted”; Isaac has “sluggishly working mental powers”; while the signalman is “haunted”.
Character interaction features strongly in the success of a mystery story, with often what is not said, being just as important as what is said. The signalman is described as directing “a most curious look towards the red light” and of looking at the narrator with a “fixed stare”. With no reasons being given for these actions a sense of enquiry and so, mystery, is created. Likewise, the Whites’ visitor seems very unwilling at first to relate the story about the monkey’s paw stating, “’Nothing,’ said the soldier hastily.’ Leastways nothing worth hearing’” after being asked about it. Again reader expectations are challenged adding to the sense of mystery being built by the writer, as previous to his arrival, the setting was quite normal and homely, with the characters interacting in a usual family manner (even though their roles are stereotyped by modern standards).
There are more characters in ‘The Dream Woman’ then there are in any other of the three stories. Although most of these parts aren’t large, they play vital parts into telling the story. The main character of the story is Isaac, and he is the only character who is talked about throughout the story. Throughout the majority of the story, we are hearing about Isaac’s past and the things his has been through by someone else, so although the story is about him, we do not hear him speak very much. We hear Isaac’s story from the same point of view as the doctor and the man telling the story. Later on, other characters are brought into the story, Isaac’s mother, whom he lives with and then eventually the dream woman. These character’s all play vital parts into making the story mysterious as they all have roles which help give the story an eerie feeling, and help to tell the story.
Changes in character and personality create a strong sense of tension and contribute to an element of mystery; as when Mrs White’s reactions to the events which take place in her life cause her to behave in a manner which makes her almost a stranger to her husband of many years. Prior to the Sergeant Major’s visit she speaks “soothingly” and she shares “knowing glances” with her son. Towards the story’s end however she cried “wildly” and “screamed” her words.
The narrator’s view of the signalman is one which he shares with the reader for he controls the story, describing the solitary man as “dark” and “a man who has been shut up within narrow limits all his life”. Yet, later in the narration, when the signalman himself relates his own story, he presents as an everyday, normal individual life.
These three writers create and sustain the theme of mystery and suspense throughout their short stories not only with their use of language and literary conventions, but pace control and the element of surprise feature strongly within each. The stories are of just the right length and the writer’s chose to employ very ordinary, everyday characters to experience very extraordinary events. Line lengths are varied in order to create particular moods and dialogue is used to full effect, so that each speaker’s character and personality is quickly made known. Each story is dramatic and eerie in its own way, but perhaps, the most important element of all is that these three writers succeed in making their mystery stories seem absolutely credible and so, realistic.
