The Red Room by HG Wells.

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The Red Room

With just the first few lines, H.G.Wells places the story elements genre, character, and scene in place within the opening few lines. He does this to so he does not have to revisit these elements of the story in detail anywhere further in the story. If he was to do this it would take away from the build up of tension by adding factual sentences that aren’t thrilling and would interrupt the build up of tension

The genre is created by H.G.Wells in just the first line when the main character answers a question that has just been asked but is not actually printed. The answer is ‘I can assure you,’ said I, ‘that it will take a very tangible ghost to frighten me.’ From this, the reader of the story can identify that this story will be one connected with the supernatural. This typically falls into the ‘horror’ genre, which tells the reader to expect the unnatural and tension from the start.

The character roles in the play are also introduced within a few lines when near the beginning of the play the main character observes that the characters ‘were trying to enhance the spiritual terrors of the house’. They are purposely and stereotypically created by H.G.Wells in a way that seems frightening. They are never referred to by name but by one of their abnormal attributes like ‘said the man with the withered arm’. This use of language not only unsettles the reader but also helps to add the tension.

The narrator is illustrated as being an audacious, young, atheist; his age ‘eight-and-twenty-years’ being one of the first things that are mentioned by H.G.Wells. These were used to depict the stereotypical view of young men. However, H.G.Wells makes sure to show that the young man is completely entrenched in his atheist beliefs by adding the line ‘For I come to the business with an open mind’. This line shows that even if the line may have been voiced mockingly there would be little if not some truth into it leaving the possibility of him changing his mind.

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        In the build up to the main character walking into the Red Room, there is a lot of atmospheric tension created by H.G.Wells. The main character begins to observe his surroundings and situation a lot more meticulously than before and gives more of an attention to the actions of his companions. He notices that ‘the man with the shade… poured out a glassful with a shaky arm that splashed half as much again on the deal table.’ In this line, the main character observes the type of table being used and even estimates how much drink was spilt. ...

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