"Tools" authors use to add suspense

• mysterious circumstances- locked doors and hidden rooms

• mysterious characters- monstrous creatures and peculiar-acting strangers

• dark settings- thunderstorms, candle-lit rooms

• difficult decisions- should I keep it a secret?

• unresolved issues- whether a character will survive an illness or live through a predicament such as hanging on the edge of a cliff

Diction – Word Choice

• 1. Denotation- the literal or dictionary meaning

• 2. Connotation-the feeling or emotional content of a word; can be positive, negative, or neutral– EX:A word's connotations are the feelings and judgments associated with

it. Identify the connotation of the following italicized words.

• His outfit is classy. __________________• His outfit is in style. __________________• His outfit is flashy. __________________

• MOOD- Feeling that a literary work gives to readers. To identify the mood in a work of literature, notice the following elements.

• 1. Description of setting – EX:The forest at the edge of town was even more ominous at night. There

wasn't a house or store within two miles. So far, no one in Jake's class had been brave enough to explore it.

• 2. Imagery– EX: He walked hesitantly, leaves crunching under his feet. Bare trees hovered

over him, casting armlike shadows across his path. His heart hammered in his chest as he inched forward.

• 3. Descriptions of Characters' Speech or Feelings– EX: Jake couldn't believe he accepted the dare. "What was I thinking?" he

muttered to himself, stopping suddenly when he heard approaching footsteps. Fear paralyzed him.

• Your Task:

Happy Sad Scary

• 1. What kinds of places could help create this mood? What time of the day or year would be most effective in creating mood?

• 2. What details that appeal to your senses of sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell would enhance this mood?

• 3. What might characters do or say to build this mood?