Contributor: Rebecca Hann. Lesson ID: 10939
"Come on, already! I want to know what's going to happen next!" That's the cry of suspense! Suspense keeps you interested in the story, and is achieved many ways. Want to read on and find out more?
You're sitting in the doctor's or principal's office, wondering what will happen.
Looking at all the wrapped presents next to your cake, you are overcome with anticipation.
The teacher has just graded your test.
Welcome back!
The focus in Chapters 5 and 6 of Lord of the Flies is suspense.
Suspense is a feeling of anxiousness or excitement that you get because you are uncertain of what will happen next.
For example, at the end of Chapter 4, Ralph announces that he is calling an assembly. This is after a day in which he and Jack have been strongly disagreeing with one another.
You may have wanted to move on to Chapter 5 immediately so you could find out what Ralph would say at the assembly and how Jack would react. This is a feeling of suspense.
Many authors use foreshadowing in order to create this feeling of suspense. Foreshadowing is when an author gives a hint about what is to come later in the story, thus encouraging the reader to continue.
For more information on suspense and foreshadowing, watch the three videos below.
There is more than one way for an author to create suspense.
In the chapters you will read next, certain feelings become stronger, and relationships start to change, thus creating those feelings of suspense!
Click on over to the Got It? section to continue reading, especially if the suspense is killing you!