Essay on Atmosphere and Tension in Great Expectations

Atmosphere and Tension in Great Expectations In this essay I am going to write about how Charles Dickens creates atmosphere and tension in the opening chapter, of Great Expectations. Because the audience cannot see what Dickens wants them to, he has to create atmosphere and tension to guide the audience through the incident, as well as hooking the audience by keeping them interested. Dickens intentionally creates that atmosphere because he wants us to feel sympathy for Pip and what he’s going through. And if we care about what happens to Pip we keep interested. Atmosphere and tension set the tone and mood of the book. Dickens begins his book by starting with Pip at the graveyard to create atmosphere and tension, by†¦show more content†¦The sea is then described as â€Å"the distant savage lair from which the wind was rushing†; this makes us see in our minds eye, the wind as a beastly animal because Dickens has used personification to describe the wind. By giving the wind a human quality it gives the implication of the wind being alive which adds to the tension. And because the wind has a living attribute this give us the notion that the weather is attacking Pip and this begins to overwhelm him. Dickens describes Pip like this intentionally, to make Pip seem cold and alone. He describes Pip as â€Å"a small bundle of shivers growing afraid of it all†. The weather seems to have a direct impact on Pips feelings. The reader can relate to the way Pip is feeling and sympathise with pip completely. The situation he is in gives the impression of no redemption. To add tension and atmosphere Dickens describes the convict as â€Å"a man†¦ who shivered and limped†¦ and whose teeth chattered in the head†. This shows us that the weather was so harsh even a man who has been though what he has, could not endure it. As it was written at a time were Prison conditions were very severe, and wearing shackles and hard labour were very common for convicted felons. It gives us an image of a cold and hungry man whose desperation has been magnified by the intensity of the weather. This desperation makes the convict seem even more frightening. And because it is already darkening and cold the convict seems moreShow MoreRelatedThe Opening Sequences of David Lean and Alfonso Cuarons Film Version of Great Expectations1582 Words   |  7 PagesDavid Lean and Alfonso Cuarons Film Version of Great Expectations In this media assignment I shall be analyzing and comparing the similarities and differences of two famous directors film versions of Great Expectations. The two directors are David Lean and Alfonso Cuaron. David Leans version was more popular and well known than Alfonso Cuarons because Lean was the first director to actually direct Great Expectations. 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