Likewise “The Monkey’s Paw” is set in a “beastly, slushy, out-of-the-way” house; this increases the tension by high lighting the isolation of the characters within.
The approaching path to the house is described by Mr White as a “bog” which is indicative of the later event of the dead son returning from his grave. The setting of the cold and wet weather is in contrast to the cosy small parlour, in which “the blinds were drawn and the fire burned brightly”. The drawn blinds block out dark, wet outdoors and add a dimension of protection to the setting, which is invaded by the arrival of the monkey’s paw. This is similar to the old man in “The Telltale Heart” using “close fastened” shutters to stop robbers coming in to his room. The irony is that he became a victim of the man he thought was his friend.
Unlike “The Red Room” and “The Monkey’s Paw”, the setting of “The Telltale Heart” is not significant to building up suspense; however there are a few elements that do contribute to the uneasy atmosphere. Like “The Red Room” the story is told in the first person. However, the protagonist in “The Red Room” is logical and rational, yet naïve: “I can assure you… it will take a very tangible ghost to frighten me”. The narrator of “The Telltale Heart” sets up the tension in the opening line,
“rue! Nervous, very, very dreadful…” Odd characters such as this narrator help build up suspense and are very often used in gothic horror.
“The Monkey’s Paw” uses the same device. The Sergeant Major is very odd, he has just returned from India with an old Monkey’s paw. He is described as “beady of eye”, giving him a bird like quality.
The old people in “The Red Room” create an uneasy atmosphere:
“I must confess that the oddness of these old pensioners affected me in spite of my efforts to keep myself”. “The nameless “man with the withered arm” adds a sinister touch by his repetition of the phrase “it’s your choosing”. This builds up the tension as the pressure builds on the young man to visit the haunted room.
Gothic Horror is often influenced by exotic elements, the Sergeant Major brought back a monkey’s paw from India. The monkey’s paw adds to the tension more by having legends and stories, “I don’t know what the first two were, but the third was death”. “The Red Room” has many stories which give it such an unsettling atmosphere, and helps cause the protagonist to believe the room is haunted
“The Red Room” also has off putting exotic ornaments to build suspense “a porcelain Chinaman on a Buhl table, whose head rocked silently as I passed him, scarcely startled me”. The bronze Ganymede and Eagle are transformed by the sinister shadows infusing ordinary things with menace; “gave me the impression of someone crouched to waylay me.” The tension builds but then is eased by the moonlight and candle revealing the true nature of each object.
Light or lack of it, also helps build tension in the gothic horror genre. There will rarely be day light in any gothic horror story. In “The Monkey’s Paw” “the wintry sun” in the morning encouraged Mr White to “laugh at his fears.” .This also gives the reader a false sense of security, whilst keeping them in suspense.
“I opened my eyes in day light” brings relief to the inceasing tension of the night spent in the red room yet we are warned that fear can be felt “even in day time”
Minimal light is used to a sinister effect, in “The Telltale Heart” a single thin ray, fell upon the vulture eye.” This is a strong image as we are told the room was “black as pitch”, thus the strand of light dircted by the murderer is all the more vivid. The ray of light is also described as “like the thread of the spider”. This image is appropriate since the light is shone its victim.
