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This particular short story is very well written; suspense and tension were created at the very beginning and upheld throughout the story.
The story is set in the evening, at sunset. The narrator describes the Signalman’s figure as “foreshortened and shadowed”, when referring to it in context to the darken cutting. He also states that he must hold his arm before his eyes to see down the trench because of “…the glow of an angry sunset”. This gives the effect of mystery, and as we know, all good ghost stories are set in some gloomy, old, castle in the middle of nowhere!
“Halloa! Below There!” is the opening line of conversation, and at this point, a sense of mystery is conveyed, as the speaker remains anonymous. Then it goes straight into the description of the person to which he is calling, and it is not until about three sentences later that the story is known to be in the first person. The narrator begins to say such things as; ‘…I stood on the top of the steep cutting’. We are told no name of the gentleman passer-by (narrator), or for what reason he is there! Conveying even more mystery is the reasoning behind why he decided to make contact to the signalman in the first place…was it more than curiosity? At this early stage, Dickens has already left many questions unanswered; this leaves the reader inquisitive to read on.
The signalman is shocked when the narrator calls to him because he thinks the narrator is the ‘ghost.’ The narrator uses exactly the same words as the ghost…"Halloa! Below there!" before each accident. Therefore, the signalman is afraid that another disaster is about to happen.
The isolated Signalman gives a startled response to the confrontation; I instantly did not know why the signalman should respond so strangely. However, this becomes clearer as the tale unfolds. The clues include the fact that the signalman looks down the line instead of at the narrator as if he is looking for something. In addition, the signalman is described as having an attitude of "expectation and watchfulness”, suggesting that something is going to happen. One more clue is the way the narrator describes the wind,
"…It struck chill to me, as if I had left the natural world".
As well as this, the signalman speaks of the words the narrator used being conveyed in a "supernatural way”. Deep in a trench this admits little light, and where the ground vibrates and pulsates when a train comes by. In ‘The Signalman’ the dark setting sets the mood for the supernatural event that have and will occur, which haunts the Signalman. This gloomy setting is as an appropriate place for the mysterious tale.
The cutting itself is "extremely deep, and unusually precipitate”. The narrator refers to the "clammy stone" and how "it became oozier and wetter as I went down”.
These details of the cold wind and loneliness of the place as well as the signalman’s strange behaviour, add up to a feeling of dread and foreboding. The cutting its self is inaccessible, uninviting, enclosed and secluded. The steep slopes and darkness of the cutting and the eerie sound of the wind in the wires all help to convey a feeling of suspense and tension.
The other part of the setting that adds tension is ‘The Tunnel’. He describes the train,
“…There came a vague vibration in the earth and air, quickly changing into a violent pulsation, and an on coming rush that caused me to start back, as though it had force to draw me down. When such vapour as rose to my height from this rapid train, had passed me and was skimming away over the landscape, I looked down again, and saw him re-furling the flag he had shown while the train went by”.
At first, we do not know what he is describing, until the train is mentioned it is described as being almost supernatural. Dickens writes this well using very descriptive adjectives such as: ‘vague’, ‘violent’, and ‘rapid’. His word use in this section is also admirable, using words such as ‘pulsation’, ‘vibration’, ‘rose’, ‘skimming’ and ‘re-furling’. Describing a train going by in such detail invites readers to read on, to see of what relevance the train is to the tale. The tunnel entrance described as having "a barbarous, depressing and forbidding air”; it also has a “deadly smell”. The direction of the tunnel terminated in a “gloomy red light”, and a “gloomier entrance to a black tunnel”, like a “great dungeon”.
There are only two characters in the story until the last couple of paragraphs, (apart from the ghost). The fact that there are only two characters - the narrator, and the signalman - in the majority of the story brings a sense of tension; it makes each of their one-on-one conversations even more engrossing. Before beginning to read the story, you know that the signalman will be a very important part, as it is the title of the short story.
His actions at the start of the story immediately give the reader the impression that something strange or supernatural is occurring.
“…I saw that he was standing between the rails on the way by which the train had lately passed, in an attitude as if he were waiting for me to appear. He had his left hand at his chin, and that left elbow rested on his right hand crossed over his breast. His attitude was one of such expectation and watchfulness, that I stopped a moment, wondering at it.”
The use of ‘appear’ at the end of the first sentence was a strange word to use, such as a ghost would, maybe supernaturally, but certainly not for a human who was descending the side of the trench! The narrator, by the use of wording, certainly finds the signalman’s appearance and actions strange.
The signalman is also described by the narrator, as being a ‘dark, sallow man’ with ‘a dark beard and rather heavy eyebrows’. As well as the cutting, seeming uninviting, he also gave the impression that he would not be a pleasure to converse with!
The signalman also calls the narrator ‘Sir’. Although the narrator did not tell him his name in greeting, the signalman did not in fact ask at this time or later on! The reader learns that the signalman is conscientious and precise about his work. He becomes used to the monotony and loneliness of his occupation and passes the time learning a language and experimenting with algebra. The Signalman tells the narrator a lot about his life prior to their meeting. In his youth, he had been well educated although he had… “…Run wild, misused his opportunities, gone down, and never risen again”.
The narrator has the impression that the signalman is reliable and trustworthy... “I should have set this man down as one of the safest men to be employed in that capacity”. These facts make his story seem all the more incredible.
His personality clearly seems reserved towards the narrator. He seems quiet but worried for some reason.
Clearly distressed by the supernatural events, the man appears to be, and the subsequent disasters, which the narrator explains as,
"The mental torture of a conscientious man, oppressed beyond endurance by an unintelligible responsibility involving life.”
The signalman is afraid that the appearance of the ghost again means that there will be another terrible accident.
The signals are controlled by sending telegraph signals up and down the line and communicated to the operator by a system of bells. The signalman has to change the signals mechanically by means of a set of levers. On the first occasion the ghost appeared, there was a train crash in which many people died: "Within six hours after the Appearance, the memorable accident on this Line happened, and within ten hours the dead and wounded were brought along through the tunnel over the spot where the figure had stood." This shows that because of the waiting, it meant that the characters must have gone through many different emotions, thinking about whether they would get out alive or not; especially the signalman, who probably felt slightly responsible for the crash.
On the second occasion a young woman died in mysterious circumstances: "That very day, as a train came out of the tunnel, I noticed, at a carriage window on my side, what looked like a confusion of hands and heads, and something waved. I saw it just in time to signal the driver, Stop”. The signalman had a sudden reaction probably due to his previous experience with the ghost. “ He shut off, and put his brake on, but the train drifted past here a hundred and fifty yards or more. I ran after it, and, as I went along, heard terrible screams and cries”. The signalman tries to stop the incident happening in desperation, although it is already out of his control. “A beautiful young lady had died instantaneously in one of the compartments, and was brought in here, and laid down on this floor between us". Again, the signalman probably felt partly responsible for the crash. I think this is due to the signalman knowing that he could have stopped the incident happening, because he was aware of the ghost.
After the signalman first tells the narrator about his encounter with the ghost, the narrator begins to ask many questions. This must have given the signalman the impression that the narrator doubted his sanity. The signalman describes the ghost in such terms as ’the nameless horror’. The face was never seen by the signalman and the ghost usually had his left arm across his face and waving his right arm. The ghost is repeatedly said to have spoken with ‘passion and vehemence’. The undiscovered face of the ghost creates suspense and tension.
The final incident, an oncoming train killed the signalman when he stood in its path: "He was cut down by an engine, sir. No man in England knew his work better. Somehow, he was not clear of the outer rail”. The reasons behind why the signalman didn’t move off the track cause the reader to make a connection between the incident and the ghost. It gives the impression that he was in a type of trance. He may have thought that the ghost was the train because of the words that the driver shouted. “It was just at broad day. He had struck the light, and had the lamp in his hand. As the engine came out of the tunnel, his back was towards her, and she cut him down.”
At the end of story, there are still many questions unanswered. The relationship between the incidences and the title cause the reader to pause and think, the build up of tension by the signalman strange death as well as the unanswered questions about the narrator cause even more tension.
As the story nears its conclusion with the death of the signalman reported, the atmosphere of doom and a supernatural suspense is increased. Dickens upholds the tension and suspense throughout the tale. In speech, when the two characters converse with each other, they ask each other many questions. Some are from the narrator to the signalman, some are from the signalman to the narrator and some are from the narrator to him self. These all raise suspense, (especially in the beginning) and most of the questions are left unanswered. His use of short sharp speech or short sentences between the two also adds unease to the situation. Dickens also frequently states the fact when the signalman is speaking in a low voice. He also repeats some phrases or uses similar phrases which give the same meaning, such as “left the natural world” with “conveyed to you in any supernatural way?” Another example of this is “For God sake, clear the way”, this is repeated three times, once in the first and then in the second accident and then penultimately in the final climax. Most points are used to build tension; the creation of a gloomy mysterious atmosphere is done well. In conclusion, Dickens created tension and suspense in ‘The Signalman’ using: Short sentences, unanswered questions, alliteration, and the other elements that I have mentioned throughout the essay. This was effective because it increase the readers’ interest to finish the story, it creates excitement and anticipation. I think that this particular short story was very entertaining and I enjoyed it very much. I also think that the abrupt ending creates enormous tension, as to why the ghost chose to torment the signalman.
