The short stories, ‘The Red Room’ by H.G. Wells and ‘A Difference’ by David Belbin were written a century apart so the expectation is that they would be markedly different in all aspects. However, a close look reveals that while there are apparent differences, similarities also abound in the material. The two authors employ various literary devices to induce the same feeling in readers. While the two thrillers are set a long time apart, their similarities and differences create a strong likeness in the approaches both authors employ to create mystery and suspense.
The story, ‘A Difference,’ is a first-person narrative featuring a ghost that tells of his parent’s demise that preceded his own that occurred recently. The ghost goes on to tell of an event he was part of involving a family under attack by Nazi extremists. He tells of how the group attacked the victims’ home, set it on fire, held the head of the family hostage and beat him after letting the mother and child go and how he intervened. His appearance shocks the gang, giving the father enough time to escape. It is at this point that the ghost rises into the smoke as he has been set free for making ‘a difference’. All through the narration the reader is engulfed in mystery and suspense, not knowing what to expect or what will happen next. ‘The Red Room’ accomplishes the same effect, although it does so using another approach.
‘The Red Room’ is a third-person narrative that tells of a story featuring a young man and a group of older men. The old men relay the legend of a haunted room in the building, which the young man receives with scepticism. Not believing a thing, he enters the room, where he lights several candles and places them all around the room. The candles start going out one after another after some time. He lights them again but the same thing happens again and again, his fear increasing with each instance. Finally, he cannot take it and runs out of the room in a panic, when he hits a beam that knocks him unconscious. He wakes up in the middle of the group that tell him what had transpired. The next sections explore how the authors employed various effects to their ends and present a comparison and contrast between them.
The two stories’ use of main and secondary characters aids in inducing the intended feelings. ‘The Red Room’ revolves around a curious, inquisitive young man. He is also very confident, drawn from his declaration that he could only be scared by a “very tangible ghost” (Wells,2020). The gloom is set when one of the old men speaks of the many things the young man is about to see and the accompanying sorrow that awaits him. The mystery is created by the reader’s unawareness of what is about to befall the young man. The suspense arises with each event that befalls the main character. ‘A Difference’ also revolves around the experiences of a young man, which is apparent when the narrator says he is an orphan. The suspense comes in when the reader realizes the main character is a ghost, which raises many questions that are not answered immediately. This plot twist changes the reader’s perspective, adding to the story’s unpredictability and mystery. This comparison shows the stories’ use of their characters to create mystery and suspense.
The authors use setting to great effect in creating atmospheres that induce feelings of suspense and mystery. ‘The Red Room’ is based in a castle, which gives it a medieval feeling (Wells,2020). The story is shrouded in a gothic theme that creates an eerie atmosphere and adds a supernatural feel, creating tension from the very start. The author tells of seemingly endless winding passageways that put the reader is a mental maze they cannot get out of. The overall feeling is intensified by the claustrophobic feel created by the unlit corridors that lead the reader onwards into the darkness and the corners in the room that create a boxed-in feel. The tension is furthered by the castle’s chimneys, the flickering candle flames, shadows, moonlight, heavy curtains, and an unseen ghost. These elements combine to create ever-increasing tension as the young man moves and ponders his environment. The result is an overwhelming feeling of mystery and suspense where the reader is terrified of what is to come but does not know when it will appear.
The other story, ‘A Difference,’ uses a town environment for its setting. The story is set during the peak of Nazi sentiments across Europe, a time shrouded in death, destruction, persecution, general lawlessness, propaganda, conflict, and inhumane acts. This creates a sense of imminent danger, and insecurity. The author describes the fire as a “blazing inferno,” which is a shocking vivid picture of what the victim was witnessing (Belbin, 1998). The general atmosphere during this period was gloomy and the reader is left wondering about many things like what happened to the family after the destruction of their home. Therefore, the stories use setting differently to create mystery and tension. ‘The Red Room’ uses a medieval setting while ‘A Difference’ uses a modern setting to the same end.
Another contrast between the stories occurs in the language used. ‘The Red Room’ was written in 1896 while ‘A Difference’ was written almost a century later in 1990. The former story employs Victorian English that is old and can be hard to read. In a way, this adds to the haunted atmosphere in the story. On the other hand, the latter story is written in modern English that is easy to read and follow. However, the ease of reading and understanding helps paint a vivid picture of the horrors described within the text. Therefore, the two stories use different languages to the same effect.
The first similarity and difference between the stories go hand in hand; they both create mystery and suspense but achieve that in different ways. The former manifests itself in the use of plots dominated by ghosts to achieve mystery and suspense while the latter is the perspective from which the stories are told. The similarities and differences between the two short stories ‘The Red Room’ and ‘A Difference’ combine to the same end. Both use ghost-dominated plots, setting, and main and secondary characters to create this effect. On the other hand, the stories use different perspectives, languages, and types of setting to that end. The two stories were written over a century apart and in different times but they leave the reader with the same feeling after completion.
Works Cited
Belbin, David. Haunting time. Five Leaves, 1998.
Wells, Herbert George. The Red Room. Good Press, 2020.