How are susupense and tension created in the Monkey's Paw and the Tell Tale Heart

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How are suspense and tension created in The Monkey’s Paw and the Tell Tale Heart?

Throughout the Monkey’s Paw and the Tell Tale Heart, W.W Jacobs and E.A Poe use various methods to portray suspense and tension. Suspense and tension were vital to both these stories as they were written in the gothic, a genre which was becoming increasingly popular in the 18th century, and as such suspense and tension were essential in creating an ominous atmosphere.

The story of the Monkey's Paw begins with the use of pathetic fallacy; “the night was cold and wet”, which is soon backed up a description of the setting, “of all the beastly, slushy, out-of-the-way places to live in, this is the worst.” Jacobs gives us this short description of the setting and weather to create an eerie atmosphere. This atmosphere created at the beginning of the play lasts throughout and keeps the reader engaged and tense.

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Poe, on the other hand, does not give us much of a description of the setting, only that most of the story is set during midnight. He focuses more on the main character, the narrator. Poe gives us a very in depth look at the narrators thoughts, and so creates the eerie atmosphere through this person’s thoughts, “One of his eyes resembled that of a vulture… Whenever it fell upon me my blood ran cold, and so by degrees, very gradually, I made up my mind to take the life of the old man” The maddening yet composed tone of ...

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