In “The Signalman”, an unnamed narrator shouts the words; “Halloa! Below there!” Again, the use of direct speech engages the reader. Also, the signalman’s failure to reply to the speech creates tension and suspense as to why.
The dialogue near the beginning of each story creates a sense of tension and suspense. In ‘The Red Room’, the words; “It’s your own choosing” is repeated constantly, driving the words of mysteriousness into the reader’s mind. The ‘old woman’ also creates suspense by repeating the words; “This night of all nights!” This makes the reader wonder, ‘what is so special about this night’. Again, the reader would want to read on and find out more. These words from the ‘old woman also creates a sense of foreboding, and gives an omen to the reader on what is going to happen later this night.
In ‘The Signalman’, the use of speech creates suspense in a rather different way compared to ‘The Red Room’. The signalman is at first quite reluctant to speak, which encourages the reader to read on to find out why this is so.
The narrator comes down the embankment to meet the signalman. The pace of the story is considerably slowed down as he describes the scene as an “angry sunset”. This adds suspense to the story, because the place is gloomy and unpleasant, and a place where something bad is likely to happen. The narrator describes the signalman in a rather mysterious way; “a dark sallow man, with a dark beard and rather heavy eyebrows”. This description matches the setting, and gives an image to the reader into how dismal the place is.
The ringing of the bell can only be heard from the signalman, and not the narrator. This adds suspense to the story into why this is true. The signalman twice gets up to answer the bell, when it was not ringing. This adds suspense, because it makes the reader wonder what it actually is that is distracting the signalman. At first the signalman hesitates to speak, but then he reveals it all. Tension is created when the signalman talks about the spectre and of the mysterious tragedies of the railways. The signalman reveals that the spectre also cried; “Halloa! Below there!” just as the narrator did. There is tension because it makes the reader wonder how the narrator contributes to the story, and if he really is the spectre himself.
The narrator refers to the signalman as a kind of ‘spirit’. He makes this comment by observing that the signalman acts rather ‘weirdly’. He does his job like a robot and claims he has seen a ghost. This creates suspense for the reader because it makes them wonder if the signalman really is a spirit or a real human being.
The narrator feels the need to characterise the signalman, to understand his full story. The narrator says that the signalman; “had made his bed, and he lay upon it. It was far too late to make another one”. He is saying that the signalman was intelligent, but he misused his opportunities, and went astray. However, the fact that the signalman believes in the spectre leaves the reader and narrator with a sense of suspense and wonder. The narrator is sceptical of the truth in the spectre and he questions the signalman many times about it.
The narrator’s identity is always kept a secret, and I think this is quite successful by Dickens. If the character was well known (like a scientist, doctor or a close friend), then the signalman would be revealing too much, therefore it would create less tension and suspense. However, the narrator is helpless and ordinary, and always wanting to find out more – just like the reader. This point is proved when the narrator says; “I expressly intend to make you another visit.” This creates suspense because it informs the reader that there is more to come, and the signalman has not yet finished telling his stories.
‘The Signalman’ builds up suspense and tension with a rather slow pace. On the other hand, ‘The Red Room’ is completely different. The length of sentences varies in ‘The Red Room’, whereas in ‘The Signalman’ it is mainly lengthy (except for one part). In ‘The Red Room’, the longer sentences were used less, and only when the mood and atmosphere was fairly calm. However, shorter sentences were used in tight situations; “I stopped abruptly. There was an interval of silence”. These short sentences indicate that the narrator is terrified, which adds to the suspense.
Suspense and tension is also created when the narrator describes his journey to the red room. The narrator describes his every move in close detail; “The echoes rang up and down the spiral staircase, and shadow came sweeping up after me.” This creates a lot of tension for the reader, as if they will be expecting something to happen soon. As he walks down the echoing passageway, it creates a sense of suspense, as to what is around the next corner. The narrator also carefully describes the part when he opens the door; “I came to the landing and stopped there for a moment, listening to a rustling that I fancied I heard”. This technique used by Wells creates a sense of tension into what’s going to happen when the door is open.
The dark room and shadows mean that the narrator is unaware what lies in these places. This, again, gives the reader a sense of tension, and leaves them wondering what actually is in the red room. It is proved that the narrator is not completely fearless, as mentioned before, because he gets his revolver out. This creates tension and suspense for the reader, as they don’t know what is here and why his gun is out. There is a change of feeling from the large, well-lit room, to this small, dark corridor. The silence scares him and creates tension.
‘The Red Room’ seems to create more suspense and tension from fear, whereas ‘The Signalman’ seems to create suspense and tension from the unknown, and wanting to find out more from the signalman.
Some explanation of the fearful mystery surrounding the signalman was delayed until the second meeting. The signalman creates tension as he tells his story and the coincidences of the ringing bell; “I have never made a mistake as to that yet, sir.” Suspense is also created here, as the reader is unsure who is making the mistake – the signalman or the narrator.
The signalman describes the spectre calling to him and giving him a warning. Tension is created here, because the signalman says that every time he has seen the spectre, a tragedy has occurred. Suspense is created during this part, because the signalman speaks in short sentences. This implies that the signalman is quite scared, and the short sentences represent the rapid beating of his heart. The look on the spectre’s face creates suspense as to the meaning – the hands covering the face as to shield away from the danger.
As the signalman reveals more and more to the narrator, the relationship between the two gets stronger, and progresses unexpectedly. The narrator becomes more and more understanding of the signalman’s problems. It is clear that he wants to help the signalman and the signalman confides in the narrator, “What should I do?” This implies that the signalman has already built up a strong relationship, and he is asking him for help. This relationship after their second meeting strongly differs to the relationship after the first. During the first meeting, the narrator was bemused by the signalman’s irrationality, and described him as a ‘spirit’. Meanwhile, the signalman probably thought that the narrator was the spectre he saw, because he called out; “Halloa! Below there!”
The use of direct speech enhances the feeling of tension as an account of the appearances. There are also many pauses while the signalman is speaking. This is creating suspense, and it is as if the signalman is keeping something back, and hesitating to tell everything. There silences when they listen to the bell and observe the tunnel. This creates tension for the reader, wondering on what will happen next – will they see the spectre or hear the bell ring?
When the narrator enters the red room, he immediately locks the door, so that nothing can get in or out of the room. The way suspense is created here, is that the reader knows that the narrator is scared, and something is going to happen. Another way this is shown is when he tucks up the valances of the bed and looks up the chimney, to make sure that there is nothing hiding. The narrator lights up all the candles, to cover all the dark parts of the room, so that every part is clearly visible. He also speaks aloud and sings songs to keep his mind off the fear. As the candles go out one by one, tension and suspense is created, as it is not clear to the reader why the candles are being blown out. At first, the narrator just thinks rationally, and believes it to be the strong gust of wind causing the problem. However, as the candles start going out more frequently, he starts to panic, and let the fear take over him. History tells the narrator that a young duke held his vigil, but he died when he came out and fell down the stairs. This also adds to the tension and suspense.
Both these stories end in a similar climax. A character in both of them concludes with a speech, and tries to explain the meaning behind the story. The narrator in ‘The Signalman’ tries to explain the signalman’s tragic death, whereas in ‘The Red Room’, the old man tries to explain why the red room is haunted. The authors probably do this, because they don’t wan to leave the reader open-minded, and it gives the reader a point to hang onto whilst finishing the story.
In conclusion, I say that ‘The Red Room’ creates better tension and suspense than “The Signalman”. ‘The Red Room’ uses more description, which gives the reader an accurate picture. Also in ‘The Red Room’, the reader is always kept at the heart of the action, whereas in ‘The Signalman’, the reader and narrator are clinging on to information given by the signalman, and wanting to find out more. I think that suspense and tension was created throughout ‘The Red Room’, but in ‘The Signalman’, a lot adumbration was used earlier, and it all came into play in one scene. Also, the fact that ‘The Red Room’ ends in a cliff-hanger, adds more tension to the story. For me, the ending of ‘The Signalman’ is too abrupt, although tension was still created by the tragedy of the signalman. However, the main difference is that in ‘The Red Room’, the reader can actually decide what happens, but in ‘The Signalman’ he cannot.
However despite all this, I still believe that these short stories still provide the reader with a thrilling encounter of suspense and tension. I believe that to make a story mysterious and full of suspense you need to create mystery because mystery in the present creates suspense in the future. You must not reveal everything to the reader and leave them to figure it out for themselves. It should keep the reader guessing right till the end of the story. Again, I believe that both these stories achieve this remarkably well and cover all of these points to make the stories full of mystery, suspense and tension.
