Both The Signalman' and The darkness is out there' have unexpected endings. Compare the way tension is built up in both stories so that the reader is surprised by how the stories end.
In the story, The darkness is out there' by Penelope Lively, tension is built in a range of ways. .
The title already makes us distraught, as it is so ambiguous. Our imagination starts to consider what the darkness' could be, causing us to feel uncomfortable at the possibilities. .
The story then leads us into a sense of false security. This puts us in such a relaxed state of mind that we are easy prey to sudden fear. The story begins with the focus on Sandra as She walked through flowers', this paints a very reassuring picture and we are put at ease. Lively describes Mrs. Rutter as a cottage loaf of a women', which gives us the image of a warm comforting lady. We also see her use of affectionate language and her kind gestures when she offers her visitors a chocky', as she always keeps a few chocies by for visitors' and she calls them Ducks'. All these actions are those of a kind person, and we begin to like Mrs. Rutter. When Packers End' is mentioned and the stories and tales that are attached to it are mentioned, we begin to tense up and feel anxious. We are worried when it is described by Sandra as nasty, creepy'. The fact that we never get the full story about this place adds tour unease. With this combination of fear and calmness, we are constantly on edge. The images of sweet old Mrs. Rutter contrasts with those of Packers Wood, subtly suggesting that we must be prepared for what happens next. .
When later we hear of how, during the war, Mrs. Rutter let a German Airman die when his plane crashed in Packers End, we are shocked at how someone who we thought of as 'nice' had such evil in them. The way Mrs. Rutter tells the story, so mater of factly and with no shame or regret, increases the tension and our confusion.
