The 'The Red Room', is a typical horror story. Right from the outset, you are left wondering what is going to happen. This is because the opening sentence begins with "I have never told anyone this before - I have never told anyone". Automatically this creates tension because you are left intrigued and curious. It also demands that the reader sits up and pays attention and it is also very intimate and personal. Due to these effects, the reader is encouraged to carry on.
Our expectations of a horror story often consist of ghosts, blood and guts. Many people often expect the setting of a horror story to be somewhere like an old house or castle out in the open and cut off from civilization. We also have certain expectations from the weather. It is often cold, dark and foggy. Although many people expect these things from a horror, in 'Farthing House', very little of these expectations are lived up to. There are no blood and guts, and the weather is not cold, dark or foggy. Whereas in 'The Red Room', almost all of our expectations of a horror story are lived up to except for the blood and guts.
Another key element of adding tension to a horror story, are the intense detail of description, and the way in which the story and sentences are constructed. Without description, the reader is unable to construct a picture the scene; therefore little tension will be created. In both of the stories, short intense sentences are used. These sentences are just another tool used to add more tension to the story.
In 'The Red Room', none of the characters are given names. They are simply described by there physical appearance. The way in which they are described is very negative. E.g. "The man with the withered arm". Due to this, there seems to be a sense of mystery between the characters and the reader. Whereas in 'Farthing House', all the characters are given names so that sense of mystery does not occur. Not giving the characters names can have a positive aspect. This is that the reader is forced to use their imaginations to construct a mental picture.
A technique use in both of the stories, is the use of first person narrative. The use of this brings us close to the events and we can relate to the narrator. It is also effective because we see everything from the narrator's point of view. In 'Farthing House', as the reader we are confided in. We are told things which have never been told before. If the story were to be written in another narrative, the same affect and tension would not have been created.
Whilst reading 'Farthing House', you are sent a roller coaster of tension. The story starts off with a large amount of tension, then the tension slows down, then once again it gradually builds up to an ending where the reader finally finds out about the ghost. Whereas in 'The Red Room', right from the start, the tension gradually builds up through the detail and great description until the end where all the readers expectations are dashed with an anti-climax. 'Farthing House', doesn't finish with an anti-climax. We know this because the ghost is discovered and all our expectations are lived up to.
Finally after looking at all the aspects of what makes a good horror story, and what adds tension I believe that 'Farthing House', does this the best. Despite 'The Red Room' having all the traditional expectations of a horror story, I believe the way in which Susan Hill creates the tension without the use of the traditional techniques is very good.
