Suspense In The Most Dangerous Game Vs. W. Jacobs

Suspense is an extremely important technique that can be used in many contrasting ways. It gives readers the opportunity to slip into their favorite character’s shoes, sit on the edge of their seat, and ultimately immerse themselves into the book. The Most Dangerous Game and The Monkey’s Paw written by Richard Connell and W. W. Jacobs respectively, demonstrate this technique in a very similar way. Both of these authors use elements of suspense in their stories, using foreshadowing, dialogue and diction to create very eerie and ominous atmospheres.

One of the most important literary elements for suspense is foreshadowing. This element forebodes future events through the use of action, conversation or even thought. The story of Richard Connell’s The Most Dangerous Game follows a young sailor that is stranded on an island after a storm hits his ship. He meets a crazed man that hunts men that wash up on his land. He is forced to hunt with him, or he will be hunted himself. A great example of foreshadowing comes from

This quote creates suspense through the use of dialogue as rainsford slowly realizes that Zaroff is a troubled man. Alternately, in The Monkey’s Paw, there are also a large amounts of suspenseful quotes. One comes from the moment when Mr. White finally wishes for something, ‘‘It moved!,’’ he cried, glancing with disgust at the object on the floor. ‘‘As I wished, it twisted in my hand like a snake.’’ The first quote is a better example because it Makes the reader curious about what will happen to