The experience of tension can cause not only mental distress but physical changes such as dilated pupils and altered blood sugar levels. To successfully inflict these and other effects on the reader, both Ray Bradbury, author of “All Summer in a Day”, and Fredric Brown, author of “Sentry”, build suspense in various ways. There are many different forms of suspense that are effective when creating tension in separate instances of a story. Suspense varies depending on the pace of the story, predictability, and whether the characters are relatable to the reader. Suspense is the most important and crucial aspect of stories as it supplies the basis for the climax in which events and characters change.
The pace of the sequence of events adds to …show more content…
If characters are likeable and relatable, their well-being is a concern for the reader and, therefor, their challenges become the reader’s troubles. The protagonist in “All Summer in a Day” is an outcast whose peers “edged away from her [and]. . . would not look at her” (Bradbury, p 3). Her inability to fit in is relatable to everyone and because of it she is easy to sympathize with. When she is later locked up by her devious classmates, the reader feels worried about her unfortunate predicament. This concern felt by the reader adds to the suspense of the story as they have a preference in what they want to happen and what they do not. This fear of what they don’t want happening is the substance of suspense. In “Sentry”, the situation the protagonist is found in is one the reader has immediate sympathy for. The protagonist who’s found in battle against the disagreeable race who had “shot without even trying to negotiate” (Brown, p 1) is easy to find favour with and support as they are a victim as most have been. Thus the suspense is increased because the reader is anxious and distressed for the character and their
The pace of the sequence of events adds to …show more content…
If characters are likeable and relatable, their well-being is a concern for the reader and, therefor, their challenges become the reader’s troubles. The protagonist in “All Summer in a Day” is an outcast whose peers “edged away from her [and]. . . would not look at her” (Bradbury, p 3). Her inability to fit in is relatable to everyone and because of it she is easy to sympathize with. When she is later locked up by her devious classmates, the reader feels worried about her unfortunate predicament. This concern felt by the reader adds to the suspense of the story as they have a preference in what they want to happen and what they do not. This fear of what they don’t want happening is the substance of suspense. In “Sentry”, the situation the protagonist is found in is one the reader has immediate sympathy for. The protagonist who’s found in battle against the disagreeable race who had “shot without even trying to negotiate” (Brown, p 1) is easy to find favour with and support as they are a victim as most have been. Thus the suspense is increased because the reader is anxious and distressed for the character and their