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

Use of external environment: setting, lighting and sound effects

Elements of the
setting
Effects (focus particularly on suspense and tension)
1 end of winter
chilly
Cheerless; prepares us for the coloured man suffering in the cold,
wearing only a raincoat pulled on over his pyjamas
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 unindness or even cruelty
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night dar; not
much light from the
moon which was
hidden $ehind
long, high parallels
of cloud which
hung lie
suspended
streamers of dirty
cotton wool in the
sy!
&ense of fore$oding' Reader would wonder why the men were waling
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 $road
daylight'
+ &ound of the
cricets, those that
did not feel the
presence of the
men continued the
monotonous cree-
cree-cree
.ight very still e/cept for the insects; no one a$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 cricets $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 mistaen for
cowardice'! 5ension within himself not to show his $eing cold'
1
% 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$$ornness which for$ade
him to answer them'! *uiet dignity' 7ut is he going to pay for it4 5ension as to
whether he will $e illed for refusing to comply'
Conflict among characters
3mmediate situation, Conflict $etween the coloured man and the white men' 5ension is
created $y the ine)uality of the situation and the circumstances which the coloured man is in,
1e is surrounded $y five white men "# grossly outnum$ered, severely disadvantaged
1is wrists are tied $ehind his $ac "# he is defenceless and vulnera$le
8ne of the white men is carrying a shotgun while two others are carrying sjam$os,
which they slapped against their legs every now and then, as if impatient for action;
weapons of torture and murder "# atmosphere of intimidation; foreshadowing of
impending $rutality and torture suspense as to what the coloured man is going to
face
&u$ject to ver$al threats, 9nswer me or 3 will shoot a hole through your spine!, and
ver$al a$use, called all sorts of names hotnot!, donders!, pro$a$ly derogatory "#
hatred for the coloured man; temper of the leader seems to $e rising ver$al a$use
to $e followed $y physical $rutality tension over what is going to happen to the
coloured man eventually
:hysical a$use, struc on the chee with a clenched fist which still held the sjam$o;
ja$$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! ( thins 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 blacs!coloureds and the whites:
Racist attitudes among the whites' 8om!s remars 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 $lacs = 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 cheey
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 mae 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, speas with forced casualness! which $elies his violent
intentions a dangerous man; speas angrily!; his eyes were hard and $lue lie
two fro;en laes! ( simile shows that he is a cold and hard man' 1e is a $ig man!
who wears riding $oots and an old shooting jacet! ( as if he is on a hunt, out to ill
tension in the fear that readers feel for the coloured man; hint that 8om will show
no mercy'
S#mbols! Imager#
3magery of darness ( story set in the night, in the shadows of the long regular rows
of trees; only light is from the lantern "# what the men are going to do is sinister,
pro$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 mistaen 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
spoe 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 sin colour'
- >reat sympathy for him $ecause of his suffering'
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