“August Heat:” Chilling Writing
Authors use different methods to surprise and terrify readers. It’s a way for them to show emotions that is good because it brings suspense to the reader. In particularly, W.F. Harvey uses suspense. He created suspense in “August Heat” by foreshadows, setting and just the general idea of fear.
“Foreshadowing is the use of hints to suggest events later in the plot. A horror writer may use foreshadowing to suggest a frightening event that awaits a main character.” That was said by Percy D’Aco from, “How do Horror Writers Create Suspense?” The story, “August Heat” starts off with, “Phenistone Road, Clapham, August 20, 190--.” (Harvey 1) Which is kind of odd, because the author doesn’t finish the year in the date. This just comes to show that throughout the story the date will be important because the year was cut off purposefully. It also means that the character in the plot will eventually die, in the reader 's
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Harvey used suspense in this story was just the general idea of fear itself. Many people have different types of fears and if you add them to a story or movie people will become nervous or they are in the edge of their seats, you can say. The definition of fear is “an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.” And this story offers just that. “And it was only the day before yesterday,” he said, “that I told Maria there were no such things as ghosts.” (Harvey 124-125) Many people already are terrified of ghosts and when this mysterious man tells his wife that ghost are not real, it is a little suspicious, knowing that they are in a graveyard.
The chilling story, “August Heat” by W.F. Harvey has inflicted much fear in the reader with suspense. It leaves you wanting to know what happens next and what the character has been put through. Suspense has been created in “August Heat” by foreshadows, setting and just the general idea of