All Summer in a Day
In the short story “All summer in a Day”, Ray Bradbury creates sympathy for the main character, Margo, in many ways. One way is by creating tension in the story by using different techniques. He uses various sentence lengths; short sentences for a jerky rhythm and long sentences to include a lengthy description and build the scene up. Short sentences create tension because they make the reader pause and this then unnerves them. An example of Ray Bradbury using this is when, towards the end of the story, he writes “They crowded to the huge door”, this creates tension also as it creates mystery and wonder. He also creates tension by using speech without using any preposition or verb, this keeps the conversation flowing and makes it more sudden, building tension by making the story more realistic and makes the reader feel involved and in the room. Bradbury uses this many times; one example is at the start of the story when the children are saying, ““Ready?” “Ready.” “Now?” “Soon.””, this lets you feel involved in the conversation and creates tension by not telling what they are talking about. Another way is that Margo is shown as the protagonist in the story, which makes the audience automatically feel sorry for her and sympathise, therefore creating tension in the story. Margot is also set up as an outsider, by her having an obvious difference from the other children; this makes us feel sympathy for her. This is shown when Ray Bradbury writes, “Margot stood apart from them, from these children who could ever remember a time when there wasn’t rain and rain and rain and rain.” in this Margot is very early on an outcast. Lastly, he creates tension, therefore causing the reader to feel sympathy for Margot, by in the storyline making the reader wonder what will happen to Margot and will she get escape from the cupboard.
