Literary Devices in The Red Room by H.G. Wells and The Signalman by Charles Dickens

The use of  literary devices are present in most stories, they are integral to creating an impact on the reader and the story. In the short stories The Red Room by H.G. Wells and The Signalman by Charles Dickens these literary devices are no different. The use of literary devices are common throughout the stories, some are quite similar while others are used to create a different effect. The author's use of imagery to create a gothic atmosphere is similar and the use of irony, although present in both stories, is used to create different effects. 

As stated before, the authors use imagery to create a gothic atmosphere in both stories. In The Signalman, by Charles Dickens, he uses imagery to describe the dark and dreary atmosphere of the tunnels. This is shown when he writes, “in whose massive architecture there was a barbarous, depressing, and forbidding air. So little sunlight ever found it’s way to this spot that it had an earthy deadly smell; and so much cold wind rushed through it that it struck chill to me, as if I had left the natural world” (Dickens 1). As can be seen, the descriptive words that are used like barbarous, depressing, and forbidding really tie together and create the gothic atmosphere that is present throughout the story. Furthermore, the imagery that is showcased in this story is masterfully used by Dickens because it elevates the emotions held by the reader, allowing for a more visceral experience. Along the same vein, The Red Room by H.G Wells has this use of imagery that creates the gothic atmosphere. This is present when Wells writes on page 3 “The long, drafty subterranean passage was chilly and dusty, and my candle flared and made the shadows cower and quiver. The echoes rang up and down the spiral staircase, and a shadow came sweeping up after me, and another fled before me into the darkness overhead” (Wells 3). The use of imagery in this paragraph is immediately present with great descriptions like a shadow came sweeping up after me. This imagery does an exemplary job of creating the classic gothic atmosphere that is found in these stories It can also be seen that the imagery creates the same effect as the Signalman. It is crystal clear that, in both stories the use of imagery is the and they help make the same atmosphere and both of the authors executed it incredibly well. 

On the other hand, what does it look like when authors use the same literary device but to create a different effect? To continue, although there are similar literary devices in the stories the use of irony is present but used to a different effect. In the Signalman Charles Dickens has the ghosts in the story warning the signalman of his own death. Also the Signalman's job is to decode and send signals as well. The irony of the situation is presented when the Signalman states, “What does the spectre mean” (Dickens 6). This dialogue gives us the literary device of  irony and this situational irony creates a tone of suspense and tension because the signalman decodes telegraph messages and sends signals for his job. Now that he has to decode ambiguous messages to save his life creates situational irony. To continue, this irony that is present in this story creates a much different effect than the irony in The Red Room. The irony still is a very important part of each story still. In The Red Room irony is also used but to a different effect. In the story the darkness of the house scares the narrator because he believes that there is something supernatural happening. This is shown when Wells writes, “And it was not only palpable darkness,  but intolerable terror. The candle fell from my hands. I flung out my arms in a vain effort  to thrust that ponderous blackness away from me, and lifting up my voice, screamed with  all my might, once, twice, thrice. Then I think I must have staggered to my feet. I know I  thought suddenly of the moonlit corridor, and with my head bowed and my arms over my face, made a stumbling run for the door” (Wells 7). This evidence exemplifies the irony of the situation since we know that there is nothing in the darkness but the narrator believes there is. So it creates almost a comedic effect as the narrator goes on to stumble around and hurt himself when there was nothing attacking him and he was actually okay and just panicking. The irony in the Red Room creates a much different effect than the irony in The Signalman even to the point where the irony in The Red Room helps create the ending of the story and the big realization by the narrator. All-in-all, the irony of the two stories create different effects, and even help the stories develop and further the plot. 

As can be seen, in The two different stories The Signalman by Charles Dickens, and the Red Room by H.G Wells The author's use of imagery to create a gothic atmosphere is similar and the use of irony, although present in both stories is used to create different effects. What we can take away from this is that although we do some things differently and some things the same, we can always make something unique and special. Dickens and Wells are two very different people and use different devices in their stories. I think that we should learn from this and make everything that we create exclusive to us.