How Does Susan Hill Create Tension in Chapter 9

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how does hill create tension in chapter 9! ! Susan Hill creates tension within chapter 9 through the use of silence. she personifies the ‘silence’ by granting it human attributes, such as ‘seething’. the term ‘seething’ is an adverb used to emphasises the power and rage hidden within the silence. this creates tension as the ‘silence’ is given a strong presence within the house which intensifies the mysteriousness and spookiness of the place. furthermore, the use of sibilance is evident when the term ‘silence’ is consecutively written before ‘sibilance’. the employment of sibilance creates a sly and dangerous effect as it emulates the vengefulness of a serpent, which is what ‘The woman in black’ thrives on. ! an other term used to personify the ‘silence’ is elucidated through the comfort of the word ‘blanketing’, which is ironic as the silence makes Arthur Kipps feel restless and uneasy. ! moreover, the ‘door which had been securely locked’ found at the end of the corridor has been a major attribute to the creating of tension. throughout the entire chapter, ‘the door’ had been the main area of concentration. as the ‘darkness’ began to creep in, Kipps was “awakened - very suddenly” until his senses came to the realisation of the “faint noise” that came from the house. the fact that he was awoken abruptly, suggests a pivotable moment within the narrative as it foreshadows the ominous force “locked” away behind the door, which acts as a revelation and discovery of the ‘unknown’. as Kipps reached the door, Samuel Dailey’s dog, spider, went “rigid” and “her growling grew louder”. this creates tension because dogs are known to have a six’s sense, where they can sense abnormality and potentially the supernatural. as fearless as dogs are, spider has evidently been frightened about the mysterious presence in the room, which makes it more terrifying for the reader. the

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