Stoneygate. From lines 1-18 we learn that Stoneygate was a wilderness, that it was an empty place between the houses and the river where the ancient pit of the coal mine had been. We learn that everywhere in Stoneygate there was hollows in the gardens, ja

3. The writer of this passage give the reader the uneasy feeling that something unusual and mysterious is going to happen. Firstly the writer begins to describe the area of Stoneygate which begins to create a picture of the area. He describes the area as being a wilderness and empty. He tells us that there was an ancient pit which use to be a coal mine and we get the impression that it was now just a big hole in the ground. He goes on to tells us that there was hollows in the gardens and in the walls of the houses and that the lamp posts and telegraph post were out of shape and twisted. He then goes onto describe a particular street in Stoneygate and describes it as being ‘a pot-holed’ dead end of old cottages, most of them boarded up.  All this information begins to create a sense of unease and mystery with Stoneygate we also get the impression that Stoneygate is derelict, run-down, neglected and impoverished.  

He gives this dramatic sense of unease with his descriptive words for describing the character of John Askew. He uses alliteration in describing his clothes “black jeans, black trainers and a black t-shirt”, all these black clothes begin to create the sense of unease and a sense of evil with the character. The writer also tells us that Askew lit a cigarette. From what the writer has told us we begin to create a picture in our heads of a person dressed in black smoking. He then goes on to describe his build and appearance. “He was broad-faced and broad-shouldered, his hair hung heavy on his brow and a thin moustache was visible on his lip.” All these descriptive words add to the picture of Askew and we start to think of him as being a very well build youth who looks bad. Then the writer tells us that he is carrying a sketch pad under his arm and a pencil on his ear. When we hear this we start to think that there must be something wrong with him and maybe he is mentally ill. As he looks like this youth who is only looking to fight but yet is carrying a sketch pad and a pencil. The writer then goes on to tell us the conversation between the two and this really begins to create a sense of unease and that something is going to happen. Askew asks Kit has he just moved in. The tone of his voice seems to be very rude and we expect Kit to say yes and then Askew to hit him or something like that. But instead Kit goes onto say his father was from her and so to was his grandfather as if to say he has a right to be here and then Askew replies “I know”. When we hear this it creates a sense of unease and the turn of events seem to change. Next thing Askew is offering Kit a sweet. All these events create a great sense of unease and a feeling that something is going to happen, but what we think is going to happen and what happens appears to be completely different and we begin to think that Askew is very strange and weird.