Literary Techniques Utilized to Create Suspense

What draws a reader into a story? What makes the reader craving more in the middle of a

novel? This feeling is not just curiosity. This sensation you get when reading an intense, page-

turning novel is called suspense. There are several, different ways an author conveys this trait to

draw in a reader. The most effective ways to reel someone into a story are as follows: dramatic

irony, descriptive words and phrases to intensify the story, and the prolonging of certain scenes to

keep the reader wanting more. All of these techniques are used to create suspense and leave the

reader guessing, which, overall, creates a more enticing, enjoyable read.

Some authors use dramatic irony to relinquish a nail biting, gripping novel. Although

there are various aspects that are incorporated in a fascinating book, suspense is what keeps a

story entertaining. After all, a book is no fun if the reader knows exactly what is going to happen

in the end. This is where suspense comes into play. In the short story The Most Dangerous

Game, the author, Richard Connell, uses dramatic irony to give the readers more knowledge of

whats happening than some characters in the story. This technique not only draws the reader into

whats happening, but it gives the reader a sense of empowerment when they know something an

important character doesnt. An example of dramatic irony is when Rainsford digs up a pit in the

short story, The Most Dangerous Game. The readers know that he is setting up a trap for

General Zaroff, however Zaroff is unaware that Rainsford is planning on injuring him to win the

game. The pit grew bigger deeper; when it was above his shoulders, he climbed out and from

some hard saplings cut stakes and sharpened them to a fine point. These stakes he planted in the

bottom of the pit with the points sticking up. With flying fingers, he wove a rough carpet of

weeds and branches and with it covered the mouth of the pit (Connell 12). The reader is aware

events occurring in the story before the characters encountered them. In addition, He knew his
pursuer was coming; he heard the padding sound of feet on the soft earth, and the night breeze

brought him the perfume of the generals cigarette (Connell 12). The knowingness for the

readers creates dramatic irony, which overall creates a read better suited for an unknown ending.

Along with the technique of using dramatic irony to make a story more suspenseful, the

use of descriptive words and phrases makes the narrative even more thrilling. Authors use

descriptive adjectives to make the reader feel the intensity of a scene, even if they are not in the

story. This technique is also known as imagery. By painting a picture in in the readers head, the

author is able to lay the foundation for a suspenseful scene. In the short story The Monkeys

Paw by W.W. Jacobs, the author uses imagery to describe a dramatic event in the story. The

scene is when Mrs. White is trying to open up the door in the hopes of her dead son appearing.

Mr. White watches cautiously above on the staircase. In the end, they find the patio empty with

no sign of their son. It is described: A cold wind rushed up the staircase, and a long loud wail of

disappointment and misery from his wife gave him courage to run down to her side, and then to

the gate beyond. The street flickering opposite shone on a quiet and deserted road (Jacobs 6).

Further, He heard the creaking of the bolt as it came slowly back, and at the same moment he

found the monkeys paw, and frantically breathed his third and last wish (Jacobs 6). Through the

use of descriptive words, a memorable moment of suspense is created. Without this scene, the

reader wouldnt be able to truly feel the intensity happening. Overall, the imagery helps the

reader feel more a part of the story than they actually are.

The last technique that truly makes a read more suspenseful is dragging on a scene at the

point of intensity. This uncertainty and extremely useful technique makes the reader want more.

It keeps the readers guessing and asking themselves whats going to happen next. A story would

be boring without the wonder and curiosity of what may happen. In the novel, And Then There
Were None, by Agatha Christie, the author constantly drags on when a person is murdered and

when they are trying to figure out who the culprit is. The entire novel revolves around a long,

drawn out scene of guessing who on the island the murderer is, yet it is such an enjoyable

account. It creates suspense when the reader constantly wants more. For example, It is perfectly

clear; Mr. Owen is one of us (Christie 150). This scene was intentionally prolonged because the

readers were unaware until the middle of the book that the murderer is, in fact, one of the ten

people on the island. Another scene that brought attention and curiosity to the reader is described

by the following: I know I did Well, I was wrong. Heres one more of us whos been proved

innocent-too late (Christie 224). This quote represents how the readers dont find out until the

very end who does it and that the whole book is a long scenario of process of elimination.

Suspense is not only something that keeps the reader interested, but it makes reading a

story much more enjoyable overall. Some techniques that authors use to create a thrilling read

are dramatic irony, descriptive words and phrases to intensify the story, and extending certain

parts of the story to keep the reader wanting more. After all, who would want to read a book if it

didnt constantly keep one wondering?

 Works Cited

Christie, Agatha. And Then There Were None. New York: St. Martins Press, 2001. Print.

Connell, Richard. The Most Dangerous Game. New York: Collier, 1924.

Jacobs, W.W. The Monkeys Paw. London and New York: Harper & Brothers, Publishers,

1906.