H.G Wells' story, "The Red Room" Discuss.

The character of the narrator is important to the way the story works.

Wells adopts the persona of a well educated, articulate young man who has

great confidence in the powers of his own rational thought. He views the

supernatural with great scepticism. His opening words are:

"I can assure you, that it will take a very tangible ghost to frighten me"

This opening sentence, assures us that he feels that he is in control of his

thoughts and beliefs. He is saying that unless he can find a ghost that he

can actually touch, he is refusing to even consider any truths that the

supernatural may contain. He continues to say " eight and twenty years I

have lived and never a ghost have I seen as yet"

He obviously believes that he is old and fairly worldly wise, and that if you

have not seen a ghost at the age of twenty eight, then they can't possibly

The three custodians of the castle are all physically grotesque, the

man with the withered arm, the man with the shade and the old woman. All

three of them are referred to using these names or phrases. I feel that by

is wiping them out. He is now extremely alarmed and expels a "cry of terror".

he believes deep down, that there is nothing supernatural that could really

darkness from surrounding him. He is trying to reason with himself, to prove

embedded in his mind. We can prove this with the various statements about

creep up on him He leaps up in a "vain struggle" against their advance.

Some common words found in the essay are:
Red Discuss, withered arm, , HG Wells', it's own choosing, throughout beginning story, beginning story, night nights shade, begins reflect, rational explanation, imagination totally, throughout beginning, own choosing, shade enters, candle goes, mind makes,
Approximate Word count = 2131
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)