In The darkness out there, Shredni vashtar and The signalman, authors create an atmosphere of mystery and suspense. How do the authors achieve this and which do you think is the most successful?

glade. It is almost like a fairy tale as well, a bit like Little Red Riding Hood. There are lists of plants and birds. But in the middle of the scene is the dark wood (Packers End) with its rumours of ghostly voices, dreadful things have happened here and has a reputation of evil. It is this that is the centre for mystery and suspense. Both stories deal with the aspect of darkness and uses darkness to create an atmosphere of mystery and suspense.                                                                                                    Dickens writes about many things which are unexplained like when the narrator (visitor of the signalman) describes the signalman as being a mysterious person, which cannot be explained whether he is human or not. “There was something remarkable in his manner of doing so, though I could not have said for my life, what. But I know it was remarkable enough to attract my notice.” We are shocked by the fact that the signalman imagines the bell ringing and can see a figure, whereas the narrator cannot hear the bell ring or see a figure. This is a supernatural effect and creates suspense. We are also shocked when Sandra is walking along quietly and Kerry Stevens unexpectedly appears. In the period of “The Signalman” was the time the world became more modern with new technology – the railway. It was a time when people believed there was no such thing as the supernatural because many things could be explained.                                                                                         Penelope Lively uses metaphors like ‘a creamy smiling pool of a face’ and ‘his chin was explosive with acne’. Dickens uses personification like ‘angry sunset’ and ‘violent pulsation’. He writes in short sentences. This also gives us the feeling of suspense.                                                                                                                             At first Mrs Rutter is described in positive terms. But Sandra finds out that Mrs Rutter a lovely old lady is actually evil. When Mrs Rutter tells them how she left a young German Airman in the crashed plane to die in suffering. The person who visits the signalman learns the unexplained visions of a strange figure hiding his face with one arm and waving a flag was actually warnings given by the spirit of the signalman himself of his own death. Sandra learns the true nature of evil, evil is not some unnamed threat but the reality of what people can do.                                                                                        “…. And the next you glimpsed darkness, an inescapable darkness. The darkness was out there and it was a part of you and you would never be without it, ever.” We learn in “The darkness out there” that the darkness can exist in ourselves and is much more frightening than the darkness which exists in dark places or woods. No matter what the darkness in us will always be deep down in our hearts. We see in “The Signalman” even though we can build magnificent scientific devices, there are still things in the world in which we have no explanation.                                                   The wind personified as ‘wailing, the strange behaviour of the signalman and the darkness of the cutting all help to express a feeling of suspense. We are left with an unexplained ending leaving us with a feeling of suspense and the mystery of the young lady’s death and the death of the signalman.                                                                       “Shredni vashtar” was set in about 1900 end of Victorian era, beginning Edwardian period – upper – middle class house comprising Mrs de Ropp who is the guardian and cousin of Conradin (young boy aged 10). The boy is unwell and very unhappy. The woman is like a fairy tale stepmother who seems to take pleasure from the fact that Conradin is unwell and may not have long to live. The only joy that he has comes from his pets – a “houdon” (brightly coloured breed) hen and a polecat ferret called Shredni vashtar. This name came extremely from his imagination. He begins to worship the ferret. Mrs de Ropp notices that Conradin keeps going into the shed she has a servant take away the houdon hen to stop Conradin going in there. She feels a little bit guilty and offers Conradin some toast, which he is generally not, allowed, as it is “too much bother”. She then notices that he does not stop going to the shed. She searches his room and finds the key to his ferret’s cage she goes out of the house. Out to the shed. Conradin watches from a window and begins to pray a prayer - he does not know where it comes from. “Shredni Vashtar went forth His thoughts were red thoughts and his teeth were white His enemies called for peace, but he brought them death Shredni Vashtar the beautiful” All the time he is watching the shed waiting for Mrs de Ropp to come out imagining what she will do, how she will kill his ferret. But she does not come out. He prays harder. Eventually, the ferret comes out goes to the stream to wipe red off his face and vanishes forever. Conradin sits down smiles and makes some toast. “Shredni Vashtar” is the turn of the century story, based on the experience of young children like “The darkness out there”. Like “The signalman”, it is the expectation of what the character central to the story will do that creates the suspense. The author creates mystery by not telling us what happened to the guardian of Conradin. It makes us wonder what happened to Mrs de Ropp? Is she alive or dead? Could Mrs de Ropp be dead because the maid says “Whoever will break it to the poor child? I couldn’t for the life of me!” Did the words Conradin say in his prayer (His enemies called for peace, but he brought them death) come true?  The author creates suspense by leaving us to our imagination. The shed is the centre for mystery because we do not know what happens while Mrs de Ropp is inside. Again like “The Signalman” we are left with an unexplained ending. I think the most successful is “The signalman” because the techniques Charles Dickens uses are very realistic and he creates a good atmosphere of mystery and suspense throughout the whole story. The story is a true mystery; it can have no solution as it is about the impossibility of ever knowing what is real.     Penny Ho