On the very first page, Dickens draws the reader’s attention to the Signalman’s odd behaviour through the observations of the narrator. Firstly, when the narrator calls down to the Signalman, he reacts to the greeting unusually, “…instead of looking up to where I stood…he turns himself about and looked down the line”. This indicates to the reader that there is something disturbing about the Signalman. This aspect of the Signalman’s behaviour is typical of Dickens later work, which is darker in tone, more disciplined and has an increasing use of psychological complexity. Therefore, The Signalman raises the question about why the Signalman turns around and looks down the line instead of looking up to greet the narrator. Furthermore, the narrator becomes surprised by the Signalman’s odd behaviour: “One would have thought…that he could not have doubted from what quarters the voice came” This indicates that the narrator is now also questioning the Signalman’s behaviour after the narrator called to him. Moreover, through the narrator’s perspective the Signalman’s odd behaviour increases by the posture that he appears to take. By the Signalman doing this both the narrator and the reader begin to feel the disturbing and sinister atmosphere that Dickens’s has created, “There was something remarkable in his manner…” This indicates that when the narrator talks about the Signalman posture, he gives the reader a feeling of the unknown. Also, the use of the Signalman’s posture indicates that Dickens tries to use every detail he can to create an ominous idea of the Signalman behaviour. Finally, the narrator is forced to repeat his greeting due to the Signalman’s odd behaviour: “I repeated my inquiry”. This also raises the question upon the readers mind about why the Signalman does not reply, thus Dickens reinforces the sinister and supernatural atmosphere. These key features are naturally seen in traditional Gothic novels, to create terror, gloom and mystery for the reader.
The observations of the Signalman’s odd behaviour can be compared to the narrator in The Red Room and his reaction to the odd behaviour of the custodians (pensioners). In the Red Room, the narrator is unwelcome and ignored by the custodians, “...a short glance of positive dislike…the old woman took no notice of his arrival”. Dickens use of an oxymoron exaggerates the custodian’s feelings upon the narrator and gives the reader the idea that the custodians can be cynical and sceptical about other people. Moreover, one of the custodians does a surprisingly strange act, “The old woman sat staring hard into the fire”. This is due to the fact that staring into the fire adds to the supernatural atmosphere, because fire is related to hell and the supernatural. This also increased the reader’s fear, as the Victorian era it was a highly religious time; so many people were afraid of the imagery of the death and evil. This is similar to the way Dickens has written his story. Dickens uses the bleak tunnel to signify the supernatural world. On the other hand, the narrator in the Red Room describes the as odd, “the oddness of these three old pensioners”. This reinforces the idea that it is not just one custodian’s who is odd, but all three. This adds to the already uncomfortable atmosphere. Furthermore, the use of repetition emphasis what the custodians are trying to say: that he is on his own, “It’s your own choosing”. This increases some of the narrator’s fears and the reader’s about the Red Room, but as the narrator is overconfident and quite inexperienced he brushes the statement aside. This also indicates that the custodians are the opposite of the narrator, as they are more experienced, thus they are warning the narrator because of their experience. In both the Signalman and the Red Room, a main character is being warned; in the Red Room the custodians are warning the narrator about entering the Red Room, and in the Signalman the spectre is warning the Signalman. Subsequently, the narrator continues to find the custodians behaviour bizarre and is so uncomfortable being with the strange custodians that he insists twice to be shown where the Red Room is, “…I will make myself comfortable there”. This signifies that the narrator is growing unrest within himself due to the oppressive atmosphere that he is in. Consequently, both Dickens and Wells use the observations of the narrators’ to convey the odd behaviour of the Signalman and the custodians; this reinforces the sinister and supernatural atmosphere that they slowly create.
The manner that Wells and Dickens describe the Signalman and the custodians helps to increase the ambience of the supernatural. In addition, in the Signalman, Dickens uses pronouns to give the Signalman a sinister and uneasy feel, “…he heard a voice calling…” This creates mystery as the Signalman has no name and raises many questions in the readers mind, it also gives a sense of unknowing to the Signalman. As well, he is called the ‘Signalman’, which indicates that his profession is one of the industrialisation; therefore the readers would be wary of him. In addition, this emphasises that the Signalman must come from a lower class background as many lower class workers would normally have or find work in manual and service jobs. Whilst Dickens uses pronouns, Wells uses repetition to emphasis what the custodians look like, “…the man with the withered arm…” The use of a grotesque character is typical of Gothic literature, which was linked to the supernatural or horror fiction of the late eighteenth century. Furthermore, in the Signalman Dickens begin to start describing the Signalman, “...he was a dark sallow man, with a dark beard and rather heavy eyebrows”. This illustrates that the use of adjectives paints a picture that he’s a dark, moody, mysterious and foreboding atmosphere. Also, the phrase “dark beard” gives the reader a reflection of his personality; he is unkempt and careless of his appearance. This highlights his isolation and makes the Signalman look quite threatening and troubled.
Yet Wells has too described the cynical custodians in detail, “her pale eyes are wide open”, “by their droning insistence” and “begins to cough and splutter again”. This depicts what the bizarre and peculiar custodians are like and how they act towards the narrator. As well, it seems to the readers that the custodians are most definitely near the end of their life and they look unhealthy. Moreover, Wells uses a list of three to emphasis even more the custodian outlandish features, “small and bright and inflamed”. This shows that the custodians seem to increase the sinister atmosphere and builds tension within the Red Room. However, the Signalman is described by his stance to be anxious and disturbed by the narrator’s appearance, “He had his left hand at his chin, and his left elbow rested on his right hand, crossed over his breast”. This describes the Signalman’s stance and how he seems to be pondering. On the other hand, Wells describes the custodians as grotesque, “…grotesque custodians…” The narrator feels so strongly that they are ugly, that he describes them as grotesque. The narrators also seem to describe them as decay humans, “…the human qualities seem to drop form them day by day…” This illustrates that the custodians are not normal they are freaks and inhuman, this increases the narrator’s fears upon the custodians. Therefore, both Dickens and Wells use the bizarre description of their characters amplify the supernatural atmosphere and produce an air of mystery towards the story, thus providing a foundation for the setting of the scene.
As the story progresses, Dickens and Wells continue to elevate the sinister and supernatural atmosphere through the way that they describe the settings of the stories. In the Signalman, the descent to the signal box, which is clearly linked to the Signalman himself, is described as, “…a rough zigzag descending path… the cutting was extremely deep, and unusually precipitous. This indicates the descent to the signal box is unpleasant and very much like hell and signifies the narrator leaving the natural world as he enters the supernatural world. As well, it is linked to the Signalman because the Signalman is described as a “sallow man”, thus it describes someone who is dull and does not see daylight too often. Furthermore, Dickens personifies the sun to give an uncomfortable atmosphere, “…in the glow of the angry sunset…” This depicts that the settings of where the Signalman lives, thus this gives the idea of a hell-like environment. The description of the narrator’s descent creates tension, “…made through a clammy stone, that became oozier and wetter as I went down.” This creates a sinister atmosphere by the description of the setting to be similar to hell. It also wrote in the 1st person pronoun and this gives a disturbing feel to the story, as it seems to be much more real. Dickens uses adjectives and alliteration to indicate that the signal box can be compared to the Signalman’s mood and his environment, “…a dripping-wet wall of jagged stones...” This adds to the already sinister atmosphere and increases the reader’s fear for the narrator.
Moreover, Dickens uses imagery to describe the tunnel; “…a crooked prolongation of this great dungeon” This gives the sense that the tunnel is dark and sinister and also creates a feeling of the unknown. By personifying the sunlight Dickens allows the reader to begin to understand the setting that the Signalman is in, “So little sunlight ever found the way to this spot…” This reinforces the idea that the narrator is in a place where the natural world cannot enter, thus presenting a sinister and supernatural mood for the reader to take in. Also, by personifying the sunlight he gives it human features. However, it is ironic that these human features are not used indicating that no one, not even the sunlight, wishes to visit the Signalman. The description of the air gives the reader the feeling of suffocation, “…barbarous, depressing, and forbidding air.” This illustrates that the tunnel is the beginning of the underworld because barbarous means a violent animal and forbidding means do not go there, so the tunnel is described as a danger animal. By Dickens creating a sinister and supernatural atmosphere it gives the tunnel a sense of unknown. Finally even the narrator begins to believe that he has left the natural world “…so much cold wind rushed through it, that it struck chill to me, as if I had left the natural world.” This emphasises the idea that he has entered the supernatural world, and adds to the atmosphere. As well, Dickens uses sensory images to give a more sinister tone to the story.
On the other hand, Wells refers to a castle this fits in with the literacy tradition of a gothic story, “Lorraine Castle”. This also adds to the atmosphere as many castle contained: the alcoves, the large sombre rooms, the darkness, plus the long and winding corridors. This gave a sinister atmosphere already to the Red Room and immerses the reader into the supernatural feel of the story. The directions of the Red Room are complicated and this makes it more difficult to find the room, “Have I got it right?” This raises the question for the reader that if the way to the Red Room was complicated then the Red Room must also have an even more complicated aspect to it. Furthermore, Wells’s use of multi sensory descriptions gives the reader the idea that the room and castle are old and very gothic which adds to the supernatural atmosphere. Moreover, the personification of the darkness gives a rather chilling account of the narrator’s view upon the Red Room, “A shadow came sweeping up after me, and one fled before me”. This suggests that everything in the Red Room is coming to life, which makes the atmosphere even more sinister and menacing. In addition, the name of the story, “The Red Room”, conveys the idea of hell. The colour red itself gives the reader a clear signal of danger and provides a hint to what is expected from the story. The Red Room is set in a castle and has a long history, “The ornaments and conveniences of the room about them were ghostly - the thoughts of vanished men”. This is because many who have been in the Red Room in the past have disappeared and their spirits have been haunting the place ever since. Through Dickens and Wells use of language devices, the authors’ not only give a threatening and paranormal atmosphere, but they also convey to the reader that the setting of the story is linked to the characters themselves.
To conclude, both Dickens and Wells have used language, setting, behaviour and description of the characters to increase the supernatural and sinister atmosphere in both The Red Room and The Signalman. They have involved social historical context, religion and gothic literature in their stories to terrify the reader, dealing with the passionate, mysterious, horrific and supernatural atmosphere, ‘The Red Room’ and ‘The Signalman’ openings are typical examples of gothic literature and have been written very carefully with detailed literacy devices to increase the feel of the supernatural and sinister.
