Short stories Essay Example for Free

Short stories Essay How did writers of nineteenth century short stories create and maintain a sense of mystery for their readers? Compare the different ways in which these mysteries are resolved.  In the nineteenth century more people started to read short stories. This was because in the nineteenth century working hours shortened which gave workers more leisure time. In the nineteenth century though there was no television or radio, the only entertainment that was easy to get hold of was reading. Short stories were more popular than novels because they were easier to read than novels. Napoleon and the Spectre  Napoleon and the Spectre was written by Charlotte Bron when she was 17 years old. It was one of her earliest pieces of writing. Charlotte Bront then went on to write several other famous books, a very well known one would be Jane Eyre. Charlotte Bron   died in 1855, one year after marrying.  Well, as I was saying, the Emperor got into bed. This first line of the story draws the reader in. It is as if the writer was in a middle of a conversation with the reader about the Emperor. In the third paragraph you get an inkling that the Spectre is about. The writer uses sound to show this. a slight rustling. Another clue that the Spectre is about is when the Emperors pillow goes hard for no reason. These two clues build up a climax in the story but is soon let down by the Emperor instead of exploring the noise just goes back to sleep. In the fourth paragraph there is another climax, a deep groan is heard from the closet in the Emperors room. The writer likes to use sound to show that the Spectre is about; this is good because it builds up good tension. It also builds up tension well because it is a deep groan which makes it sound painful, very ghost like, the writer is keeping to the idea of a classic unhappy ghost.  In the fifth paragraph we see our first use of speech which builds up a climax of terror in the Emperor. Whos there? Cried the Emperor, seizing his pistols. Speak or Ill blow your brains out. This shows that the Emperor is frightened and is trying to threaten the person away. The writer really builds up a dramatic climax with a short paragraph which gives suspense. Short, sharp laugh. This shows that the spectre is mocking the Emperors threat to try and intimidate him; he is unbothered by the Emperors attempt to scare him away. This is ironic because the Emperor is meant to be very high and powerful and not afraid of anything but is instead scared of a Spectre, this is also an anti-climax.  The writer rebuilds the tension once again but using the sense of sight to give the reader the feeling of the Spectres presence again. Which burned in a silver branch over the mantelpiece, was suddenly darkened. This shows that all the light has gone from the room making it completely dark, a good entrance for the Spectre. The reader than sees the Spectre for the first time, the writer also makes us feel sympathy for the Emperor as he is sweating with fear when he first sees the Spectre. The writer uses the sense of sight to give us an idea of the Spectre, A black, opaque shadow.  More speech is used as the Emperor tries to calm himself down and re-assure himself that he is imagining the Spectres presence. Pooh! exclaimed Napoleon, it was but an ocular delusion. In the next paragraph the reader hears the spectre speak for the first time, this creates a sense of horror. Was it? whispered a hollow voice, in deep mysterious tones, close to his ear. The writer has written that the Spectre has whispered close to the ear of the Emperor to cause more tension as well as the Spectre having a hollow voice. This paragraph really builds up the horror and tension in the Emperor and in the story.  The writer shows that the Spectre takes control when he uses the name of the Emperor. Follow me, Napoleon, and thou shalt see more. The spectre also uses the Emperors titles to mock him, Was it a delusion, Emperor of France?. This is ironic because the Spectre uses Napoleons titles as Emperor to make him feel small and intimidated, when titles are there to make you feel/seem big and important. After this paragraph the writer gives us the first description of the spectre. Charlotte Bronte has made the spectre as gruesome and as horrifying as possible, to add more tension and fear to the story.  Examples of the gory features of the Spectre would be The tongue protruded from between the teeth and the eyes all glazed and bloodshot started with frightful prominence from their sockets.  The emperor then cries out in shock, Mon Dieu! This is also the first time that the emperor has actually been presented with the appearance of the Spectre. The one lined paragraph, the apparition spoke not, but gliding forward beckoned Napoleon with uplifted finger to follow, is meant to be a very dramatic and frightening paragraph. The reader is picks up on this because the writer has not only set out this line to be a short paragraph which is dramatic but has made it so the Spectre actually says nothing; he speaks through his actions which build up tension to the story.