How do WW Jacobs and HG Wells build up an atmosphere of mystery and suspense in The Monkeys Paw and The Red Room?

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How do WW Jacobs and HG Wells build up an atmosphere of mystery and suspense in “The Monkeys Paw” and “The Red Room”?

Both stories are set in the Victorian era. Both stories are also set in the 18th century. We can tell they are from this genre by when in the “Red Room” they say “ Eight-and-Twenty years”. We can tell this is old because nowadays we would say twenty-eight years. In the Victorian era people were very interested in the supernatural. They were also fascinated by myths and majic. People were very superstitious and curious with unusual happenings. This comes across a lot in the stories. Especially when in “The Red Room” the old people are so enthralled with the ghost it becomes part of their everyday life.

    Gothic horror was the most favoured genre of book reading in this era. Victorians were very interested in the spiritual rituals and superstitious happenings that these books had to offer. These books gave them an insight into gothic tales and treacheries. In “The Monkeys Paw” the gothic horror genre is brought across by the use of macabre.

    “The Monkeys Paw” is set in a secluded cottage deep I the countryside. Even though this setting is very eerie doesn’t compare to the setting in “The Red Room”, which is a very opache castle.  This is a common setting for a gothic horror story. But the way HG Wells writes it it makes it more subtle. He doesn’t really describe the outer appearance but later in the story describes the inside in depth. But not to subtle, as the Victorians loved common and obvious storylines and settings. They liked them because they didn’t really have to focus on the structure of the storyline too much, so they could just enjoy the mystery and suspense of the stories.   HG Wells makes his story more unique by the writing techniques and punctuation he uses. This all adds up to the suspense and pace of the story.

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    In the opening scenes the two stories are the same in the way that they both introduce the characters straight in with dialogue. Almost as if we have just entered the conversation and it is a normal day for them. For example in “The Red Room” its says “ I can assure you it will take a very tangible ghost to frighten me.” This makes us wonder what has already been said, and puts us straight into the action. Also this makes the story seem more real to the reader. In “The Monkeys Paw” Mr White says “Hark ...

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