“There is no terror in the bang,

only in the anticipation of it.”

Alfred Hitchcock
 What is Suspense?
• Suspense: the thrill of anticipation and
excitement regarding the outcome of a
situation.

• Suspense writers makes the reader feel…

• Intrigued
• Unsettled
• Anxious
• Fearful
• Nervous
 Most suspense stories have main
characters that share certain
qualities:
• Sympathetic: if you don’t care
about the main character, you
are not compelled to read on.
• Must face danger, a threat that
Characters in steadily increases.
• Often has a fear that must be
Suspense Stories faced and hopefully
conquered…but not always!
• Motivation for their actions are
clear and credible.
 • Environment is
threatening.
• Suspense stories mostly
occur at night.
• Examples: old house
with many shadowy
places, isolated cabin,
dense forest.
• Weather may add to
tension, perhaps a
raging storm or isolating
blizzard
Setting in Suspense Stories
 • A conflict is introduced, usually
an external conflict.
• As the character attempts to
Plot in face the conflict, problems and
obstacles delay resolution.
Suspense • Unexpected twists, turns, and
surprises arise.
Story • Pacing: rising action must
involve more anticipation than
actual violence; good suspense
involves delay.
 • Foreshadowing
• Flashback
Common • Cliffhanger
Techniques • Red Herring

Used in • Irony (Dramatic)

• Obstacles
Suspense • Time Constraints
• Isolation
 Foreshadowing is the main
vehicle for creating suspense
Readers can identify foreshadowing by looking for:

Visual Imagery: There are certain images we always associate with

suspense (dark figures, old houses, sharp objects, clouds, rain,
thunder, lighting. They usually foreshadow ominous events.
Sounds: tapping at the window, knocking on a door, the whistling of
the wind, a creaking floor. Repetitive sounds and noises coming from
unseen sources probably mean something bad is about to happen.
Color: Objects are usually dark, gray, or even black. Any sort of
darkness or lack of light foreshadows ominous events.

Sudden Changes: Certain events begin to disturb the normalcy of the

characters' lives. Changes that are especially unusual or sudden signal
portentous events.