Mysterious Island

Mysterious Island is an extract from a novel, in the style of Dennis Lehane, and so contains many aspects of a thriller, horror novel. It employs a semantic field of horror, created through the use of the noun phrase “intensified wind”, and the nouns “beast” and “petrified” these are predicative adjectives which suggest fear and uncertainty. The first chapter of a novel aims to set the scene and introduce the main character.

Mysterious Island does this through elevated vocabulary, such as the pre-modifier “howling” which creates a tense atmosphere and the use of figurative devices such as the personification of the trees: “the trees watched her every move, whispering in to the wild winds”. The alliteration of the consonant ‘w’ in this complex sentence starting to develop the main character’s fear whilst the imagery suggests she is being watched – a repeated motif in the chapter.

The island is described as “isolated” and “uninhabitable” these adjectives both creating the necessary atmosphere for a thriller, needed to create suspense. This also adds to the cliff-hanger ending when it is revealed that she is not alone on the island. The audience for the novel would be adults and this is reflected in the themes of the extract: isolation and predators. Also the protagonist is in her mid-twenties and has had a relationship that has led her to be “banished” which is an emotive verb.

Although it is purposely not revealed to add an element of mystery to the character that will be explored as the novel develops. The alliterative of her banishment with the ‘bleak’ island has the purpose of suggesting to the reader that the woman is in a difficult situation, this is further conveyed by the descriptive adjective “intensified”. The opening chapter sets a tense atmosphere through the rest of the extract by using imagery and metaphors, “whispering in to the wild winds”.

This allows the reader to get a thorough image in their views of Stacy that she is in a terrible place, which will add tension to the extract this could also mean that she in a calm environment as she can hear the winds; the novel starts with a declarative sentence “it was nightfall”. This creates a tense mood to suggest that something could happen as the nightfall is the typical time for dangers to occur. There are some complex sentences used “the woman started running in desperate relief” as the woman is in her twenties, “gasped for air and felt as if it had reached down and tickled her spine.

These two sentences emphasis the woman’s fear also showing that she is in danger , she has committed a crime which she is trying to escape . The demonstrative adjective “desperate” shows that the woman is trying to get away from the island which she has somehow come on which shows the reader that the woman is oblivious which shows that Stacy is not aware but which suggests to the reader that the she is not vulnerable to threats which describes her courage.

The time of the day is put deliberately “nightfall” to emphasis horror. This is effective as nightfall usually suggests horror and the extract is set at night which keeps the suspense which is effective in keeping the reader entertained this is emphasises through a metaphor. “Howling winds tearing across the island” this shows that she is in a predicament which is developing the tension and horror.

The interrogative adjective “would anyone know? are used to create a clear picture that show she is on her own with no one to save her also this creates a more intimate relationship . The evaluative adjective “petrifying” and the descriptive adjective “dark” these add horror as they convey she is going through a rough time as it is hard to see at night. They also show the feelings of the character.

The conjunction used is to show the terror of the woman as well as showing the reader there could be a lot of events occurring throughout the extract. odifiers convey the emotions presented from the woman as she is trying to find a way out the adverbs “violently”, “rigidly” and “quickly” these are all active verbs to show the reader that the woman is undergoing huge fright and horror also she is trying to find a way out but there is no possible exit of the island which Also strengthen the fact she is isolated and is helpless as there is no one human on the island beside her, which make the reader interested as I use elevated vocabulary to make the novel sound terrifying “she was next to a narrow stream which was becoming furious with rage.

The personification used here is to show that the island is a malicious place to be and Stacy is all by herself with nothing to help her which relates to her crimes. “She knew her crimes of passion had hurt his reputation” as this shows rage as well as the stream this is symbolic. To establish the horror within the extract I have used vocabulary. active verbs “craze” and “violently” suggest that the woman has come across a rough stream of water which indicates that she is constantly in danger which intensives the reader to read more.

Negative connotations are also used such as “fought to catch her breath” and I have used nouns which connote horror “treacherous conditions” and “bitter cold” this shows the reader that the woman is an a difficult position and she could be caught, this also describes that the extract is becoming more of a thriller as the stative verb “fought” shows that this could be the end for her as Stacy as she is trying to survive on the island with wolves prowling nearby this shows she is in a hostile to the predators as they were in a pack stay was all by herself .

The descriptive adjective shows that Stacy is open to attack. “Sinister” suggest that the man is evil and cunning as he has just crept into the cave where she is laid uninvited which creates suspense as the man could do anything to her as she was fast asleep. The adverb helps to create tension “slowly” as this suggests that he is not nice and is being cautious to her waking up this encounter takes place in the cave. This makes the reader feel guilty as they cannot help her towards her and intrigues the reader into wanting to know more as there could be a confrontation.

The evaluative adjective “treacherous” suggest that she in a dreadful position to be in, as she is on a cold wet island which conveys the horror of the extract. I have used exclamatory sentences to develop the tension in my novel. “Finally” this does not give much away to the reader but makes the reader curious as to what’s going on. The personal pronoun is possessive “her” this describes that she is on her own with no one to help her which makes the reader feel sympathy for her.

I have also used a simile “darker than the night”, to provide greater emphasis on her feelings and makes it seem more dramatic because it expresses her feelings the emotive word “darker” describes the emotions presented by the woman which shows that she is in a terrible state also it shows she is in two minds which helps to build more tension. The interrogative is effective as it shows the reader she is in danger also she has found shelter which shows she is making progress in surviving but could this lead to difficulties ‘Was this right? Also this allows the reader to be more emerged in the extracting as they think they are being told the story in person.

Third person is used to address all of the audience also to show a clear view of things occurring in the extract, “Stacy”. This is to allow the reader to know the suspense, feelings and danger created; this allows the reader to get more information. The last chapter uses a rhetorical “throat scream” this is used as it relates to the audience because they will have the same feeling as her also it shows that this could be her last moment in the extract which stresses the importance of horror and suspense.