How Does Dickens build up a Sense of Surprise in the Signalm
How Does Dickens build up a Sense of Surprise in the Signalman?The short story "The Signalman" tells the story of a signalman who is haunted by a spectre on the railway line. The story is told from the point of view of the inquiring inspector. Each time the spectre appears somebody dies. In the first paragraph of the story Dickens describes the first appearance of the s
When the Signalman asks the figure if there is a way he can get down, there is no reply. I find that this makes the introduction quite spooky. "Is there any path by which I can come down and speak to you?" "He looked up at me without replying, and I looked down at him without pressing him too soon with a repetition of my idle question. This is also well done by Dickens as senses are conveyed very well. When he describes the spectre he uses words such as foreshortened and shadowed. These words make the appearance seem mysterious. All of these feelings conveyed are slowly building up the tension. When the inspector is on his way towards the figure the air is described as barbarous, depressing and forbidding. " When Dickens describes the passing of the train he uses words such as "Vague vibration", "violent pulsation" and "oncoming rush" these words convey the feelings that are experienced when the train passes. The repeating of "Halloa! Below there!" builds up a sense of suspense as the figure does not reply.
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