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How does the writer create tension and suspense in this story?

Use of external environment: setting, lighting and sound effects

Elements of the setting 1

Effects (focus particularly on suspense and tension)

end of winter Cheerless; prepares us for the coloured man suffering in the cold, wearing only a raincoat pulled on over his pyjamas chilly Readers wonder why he was the only one not wearing thic clothes against the coolness of the night! "# suggestion of someone $eing treated differently and possi$ly, with un indness or even cruelty

night dar ; not much light from the moon which was hidden $ehind long, high parallels of cloud which hung li e suspended streamers of dirty cotton wool in the s y! &ound of the cric ets, those that did not feel the presence of the men continued the monotonous cree cree -cree

&ense of fore$oding' Reader would wonder why the men were wal ing so intently in the dar with only one lantern amongst them' Readers ept in suspense over the purpose of their journey ( why out for a wal in the thic of the night hint that something is not )uite right, especially when told that one of the group was not dressed for the chilly night' *uestion as to whether their actions will stand up to scrutiny in $road daylight' .ight very still e/cept for the insects; no one a$out "# hint of clandestine nature of their action suspense as to what the men are up to' 0ater, at the end of the passage, after the men had announced their intention to $eat up the coloured man, the sound of the cric ets $lended into solid strips of high-pitched sound! as if protesting against the injustice of the situation, against the imminent torture and illing of the coloured man'

Internal Environment: characters inner conflict 1 Coloured man trying not to shiver in the cold, lest that $e misconstrued as his $eing afraid' 1e is not cold2he is shivering with fear' 3s it not so, hotnot4!, 1e was cold and tried to prevent himself from shivering in case it should $e mista en for cowardice'! 5ension within himself not to show his $eing cold'

6as fearful $ut refused to give in to the men!s demands that he answers their )uestions' 1e was afraid, $ut his fear was mi/ed with a stu$$ornness which for$ade him to answer them'! *uiet dignity' 7ut is he going to pay for it4 5ension as to whether he will $e illed for refusing to comply'

Conflict among characters 3mmediate situation, Conflict $etween the coloured man and the white men' 5ension is created $y the ine)uality of the situation and the circumstances which the coloured man is in, 1e is surrounded $y five white men "# grossly outnum$ered, severely disadvantaged 1is wrists are tied $ehind his $ac "# he is defenceless and vulnera$le 8ne of the white men is carrying a shotgun while two others are carrying sjam$o s, which they slapped against their legs every now and then, as if impatient for action; weapons of torture and murder "# atmosphere of intimidation; foreshadowing of impending $rutality and torture suspense as to what the coloured man is going to face &u$ject to ver$al threats, 9nswer me or 3 will shoot a hole through your spine!, and ver$al a$use, called all sorts of names hotnot!, donders!, pro$a$ly derogatory "# hatred for the coloured man; temper of the leader seems to $e rising ver$al a$use to $e followed $y physical $rutality tension over what is going to happen to the coloured man eventually :hysical a$use, struc on the chee with a clenched fist which still held the sjam$o ; ja$$ed in the $ac with the mu;;le of the shotgun a sign of worse things to come' 5he white men will not stop there; these actions are merely pream$les to what will ensue <ifferences among the white men as to how far they should go with the coloured man, 9ndries, the man with the lantern, seems more nervous ( 6e don!t want to $e involved in any murder! ( while the leader, 8om, is not afraid to ill, 3 will shoot whatever hotnot or affir 3 desire, and see me get into trou$le over it! ( thin s he can ill with impunity a dangerous man who is not trou$led over the conse)uences; fear for the coloured man; suspense as to whether the coloured man will ultimately $e illed, or just maimed Societal conflict; racism. Conflict between the blac s!coloureds and the whites: Racist attitudes among the whites' 8om!s remar s derogatory, 3t!s as dar as a affir!s soul here at the $ac !' Racial tensions can run very high, as evident from this passage'

3njustice in society, no e)uality ( the $lac s = coloureds have no rights, 5he coloured man is going to $e taught a lesson for a dou$le crime, - for not showing respect to the white men' 1e had had the audacity to $e chee y and uncivilised towards a minister of 2 (their) church!' 1is crime, he does not now his place in society, he is merely a teacher in a school for which 2 (they) pay' 1e lives off 2 (their) sweat! and therefore, has no right to ma e demands on them' Conflict heightened $y the fact that the $lac man is educated while the white men do not seem to $e, judging from their language and their sarcasm and derision of the coloured man!s education' *uote evidence from the te/t' Use of language: choice of words; short, abru"t sentences 3n characterisation of leader, spea s with forced casualness! which $elies his violent intentions a dangerous man; spea s angrily!; his eyes were hard and $lue li e two fro;en la es! ( simile shows that he is a cold and hard man' 1e is a $ig man! who wears riding $oots and an old shooting jac et! ( as if he is on a hunt, out to ill tension in the fear that readers feel for the coloured man; hint that 8om will show no mercy' S#mbols! Imager# 3magery of dar ness ( story set in the night, in the shadows of the long regular rows of trees; only light is from the lantern "# what the men are going to do is sinister, pro$a$ly punisha$le $y law' 2 What are the values that emerge from this passage? Respect, the coloured man is determined to eep his dignity in spite of the oppression ( refuses to show that he is shivering lest it $e mista en for cowardice; refuses to dignify their )uestions with answers; refuses to show his fear at the threat of death' 9nswers only $ecause he did not want to die spo e with a mi/ture of dignity and contempt which was missed $y those who surrounded him!' 5he more the men taunt and hit him, the more we respect the coloured man for maintaining his dignity and self-respect' 9dmiration for his fortitude in the face of torture and even death' :ity for $eing caught in an oppressive system where a man is discriminated against on the $asis of his s in colour'

- >reat sympathy for him $ecause of his suffering'

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