Both stories contain element of tension. In ‘The Monkeys Paw’ he says ‘As I wished, it twisted my hand like a snake. ‘She was watching the mysterious movements of a man outside. In ‘the Red Room’ I stood undecided; an invisible hand seemed to sweep out the two candles on the table, with a cry of terror. The tension in ‘The Monkeys Paw’ makes the reader wonder if a stranger has anything to do with the wish. In ‘The Red Room’ the reader will wonder what is making the candles go out and suspect an evil ghost is present.
Both writers use language which establishes when the story was set. In ‘The Monkey Paw’ it starts with the word ‘without’! The major is described as rubicund of visage and the monkey’s paw is on the ‘bracket’ say Mr White to his wife. In ‘The Red Room’ it starts with the word eight and the old woman is described as rubicund if visage and ‘The Red Room’ is in the ‘bracket’ say the old woman
Archaic language either indicates when a story is set or creates an atmosphere an earlier time when people really believed in spirits. Formal language is used in both stories. The sergeant major ‘proffered seat’ Mr. White enquires about the paw and as the major explains about how he pressed the previous owner for more information.
In ‘The Red Room’ the formal language was fanciful suggestion in the earlier time people prided them selves on being very polite and this reflected through his language. Both writers use poetic language in their stories. The narrator in ‘The Red Room’ uses spiral staircase shadow sweeping up after him. The use of alliteration reminds repeatedly of the letter 's’ we think of secrecy and shadows and the narrator maybe in some danger. The writer uses metaphor in their stories which bring them to life. I caught a momentary glimpse of his eyes, small and bright and inflamed the metaphor connotes that in the darkness something bad will happen In ‘The Monkey’s Paw’! As the old man takes ‘The Monkey’s Paw’ to grant the second wish he caught his breath. The fact that he does this is to connote that he is very nervous.
Mystery is a key element in the Victorian ghost stories. In the ‘Monkeys Paw’ Herbert and his family are told that the last person’s third wish was for death. If you have got something that grants you wishes then some thing bad is going to happen. The reader knows that bad things are going to happen so they want to read more.
In ‘The Red Room’ we know that two people have already died, we don’t know ‘why or how’. Something really evil is clearly lurking in the ‘The Red Room and if the narrator goes in to the room the readers will wonder what will happen next.
Both writers use humour in their stories. In ‘The Monkey’s Paw’ it is very funny in the beginning when the wife knows that the husband is in a tempter and takes the Mickey out of her husband and they were talking about wishing for a pair of hands it is funny but in the end it is shocking. In ‘The Red Room’ the narrator does not believe in ghosts and he says this candle might trip up the ghosts. This is funny but the narrator only says this to keep his confidence up.
Both authors introduce a sudden surprise into their stories. In ‘The Monkey’s Paw’ the sudden surprise is when the mother awake with a cry ‘The Paw’ she wants to make a wish to bring her son back to life. In ‘The Red Room’ there is a sudden surprise when the narrator walks down the long passage to the ‘Red Room’ ‘gave me the impression of someone crouching to waylay me’ he gets the feeling someone is following him. A reader enjoys an unexpected event in the story. As well as enjoyment, the reader will also want to read on.
‘Horror’ is a stereotypical element at any ghost story, particularly the Victorian ghost story. In ‘The Monkeys Paw’ horror is when Herbert’s employee comes to the house and tells Mr and Mrs White that their son is dead in a horrific accident with one of the machines. The other horror is when the mother wishes that her son is back alive even though he is mutilated. In ‘The Red Room’ the horror is when the narrator is crashing about the room, he says ‘I struck myself against some other bulky furniture, I have a vague memory of battering myself thus, to and fro in the darkness, of a cramped struggle, and of my own wild crying as I darted to and fro, of a heavy blow at last upon my forehead. Horror is an element, a reader expects in a ghost story. It is thrilling and exciting; it will also frighten a reader.
