King of the castle tension Essay Example for Free

King of the castle tautness Essay?Im the King of the Castle literary works Coursework Investigate the ways in which Susan Hill uses language to create tension and a sense of expectancy in Im the King of the Castle Susan Hill implements several constitution proficiencys to create tension in the novel. Tension in this sense simply means mental strain or exhilaration in the ratifiers. One of the techniques used is shown when she uses a third-person narration to narrate the theme. This narrator is omniscient and implies that he/ she is not single of the characters in the novel, and yet at the same time knows ein truththing that is running through the characters minds. Hill uses this technique to bring the readers on a journey of moving freely in time and space to countenance them to know what any character is doing or thinking at any one point of time. This is unless possible because the narrator is not a character in the novel and is allowed to be anywhere, anytime. Susan Hill uses some(prenominal) different techniques to put a point across, the or so important being her use of imagery. However her writing also has many other qualities such as good structure and her ability to think deal her characters. In addition she manages to build up tension and uses different ways of emphasising words or phrases. either of these factors contribute to her unique evocative style and add to her reputation of being a very adroit writer. In chapter eleven, she describes vividly how Kingshaw feels ghastly with fright when Hooper locks him in the shed. He retched, and then began to vomit, all over the sacks, the sick coming down his nose and choking him. It tasted bitter. He bent forwards, holding his stomach. When it finished he wiped his peach on the sleeve of his shirt. He was shivering again. This deprivation is an example of her excellent use of imagery.She conjures up a picture of the scene as well as expressing Kingshaws fears and senses in an evocativ e style by use a scene that we can all relate to and actualise. An example of Susan Hills good structure is at the very beginning of the novel, when Hooper and Kingshaw first meet, Hooper sends Kingshaw a note saying I didnt want you to come here. This sets up the story line from the beginning, leading us to expect events to come. Then at the very end of the novel earlier Kingshaw commits suicide, Hopper sends him a final note saying Something will happen to you Kingshaw.She shows the ability to be equal to think like a child, which adds to the overall affect of the book because the main character is Kingshaw who is a child. This shape of her thoughts gives us a wider disposition of Kingshaws character and his thoughts. Examples of her thinking like a child appear in many forms in the novel. One of them is her use of childish language and grammar. Now, he thought, I know what Hooper is sincerely like. Hes a baby. And gooselike. And a bully. Notice in this particular phrase that she uses childish words like baby, stupid and bully.The use of short abrupt sentences emphasise the words and adds to the childish theme, because it is grammatically incorrect to start a sentence with a conjunction, which is what a child may do). Another form of her childish thinking is how she shows an understanding of childrens fears and their reactions. An example of this is Kingshaws fear of moths. There are a lot of moths, Hooper said softly, there always are, in woods. Pretty big ones, as well. Kingshaws stomach clenched. In his nostrils, he could expression the mustiness of the Red Room. This passage shows how Hooper taunts Kingshaw with his fear (childishly). She shows Kingshaws reaction to his fear by saying his stomach clenched. She then continues with his memory of the Red Room, where he had been stir by the death moths, using her evocative style to describe how he associates moths with the musty smell of the Red Room. She uses the example of moths throughout t he book, along with Kingshaws other fears such as birds. To keep the reader alarum Susan Hill tended to change from one scene to another very abruptly.A Classic example is in chapter sixteen, when every one was in the Breakfast room on the day of Mrs. Helena Kingshaw and Mr. Hoopers wedding announcement. suddenly the scene changes to them being in a muddy field. This can be quite confusing for the reader but it does keep them alert. It was also in this scene where Susan Hill showed her ability to build up tension. This was make by Kingshaw expressing his fears about something that we do not know about, and Mrs. Helena Kingshaw talking about how he was scared by this thing when he was little.As the passage continues the writer gives us a clue that the strange fear is of a certain place and finally (after a page of writing) she tells us that the place in question is a circus. Susan Hill uses many different techniques to build up an atmosphere. In my opinion the most effective atmo sphere that she created was in chapters twelve and thirteen, when Hooper falls glowering the castle wall. When Kingshaw reaches the top of the castle (without Hooper) he feels a sense of power. He shouts out Im the King of the castle which relates to the title of the book.To make us understand how Kingshaw really does feel King, she repeats the phrase I am the King thrice. He felt so flop that he thought he could kill Hooper. When Kingshaw is in a rage with Hopper, telling him to come down, he swears at him, this shocks the reader, as he is only a child. When Hooper is falling off the castle wall Kingshaw commands lay down YOUR HANDS OFF THE WALL, HOOPER. The use of capital letter creates the effect that what he is saying is important. When Hooper falls and is carried off on a stretcher, thunder rumbles in the back ground which gives the ironic affect that it is not going to be a good thing for Kingshaw.Kingshaw is then made to get down from the castle, which can be classed as a n example of his life. Every time he reaches the top he is always forced to go back down which is, once again, ironic. The whole book gives an immense sense of tension to the reader. The atmosphere is one of suspense and danger. The overall use of abrupt, simple dialogue accentuates the feeling of incoming peril. Susan Hill writes the novel in a way which causes the reader to constantly be alert, and to expect the sinister and foreboding to occur. Arsalan Abdullah