How Does The Author Create Tension In The Pale Man

615 Words3 Pages

Have you ever been deathly afraid of interacting with someone you didn't want to interact with? This fear is played upon in “The Pale Man”. The protagonist is afraid of interacting with the eponymous pale man, especially as his motives and true nature are slowly revealed over the course of the story. Horror was revealed in “The Pale Man” through the buildup of suspense of suspense and foreshadowing. The author built suspense in “The Pale Man” by prolonging the conflict in the story. The ultimate goal of the pale man was to take the life of the protagonist, but rather than killing the protagonist immediately after introducing the pale man, the author draws out the conflict. Starting from his dark, sheltered room, the pale man moves one room closer to the protagonist every night, causing you to fear for the protagonist, and effectively building suspense. …show more content…

The author makes you fear that the pale man is a suspicious character by surrounding him in secrecy, and this fear is enhanced by the protagonist; he isn’t afraid of the pale man, he wants to meet him, but you know the man is evil. By the time the protagonist realizes what is occurring, it is already too late, and you know it. The death of the old woman began to reveal the true nature of the pale man, thus adding to the horror of the story. The malicious intent of the pale man was made clear, causing you to fear for the protagonist. Julius Long reveals that the pale man is death when “The mysterious guest was not forced to stay where he was, nor did he have to skip a room. The lady in No.208 simplified matters by conveniently dying.” The author uses symbolism by killing the woman so that the reader visualises the pale man as death. “The Pale Man” built suspense and horror by