Question

Read the passage.

excerpt from “The Pit and the Pendulum” by Edgar Allan Poe

In the confusion attending my fall, I did not immediately apprehend a somewhat startling circumstance, which yet, in a few seconds afterward, and while I still lay prostrate, arrested my attention. It was this—my chin rested upon the floor of the prison, but my lips and the upper portion of my head, although seemingly at a less elevation than the chin, touched nothing. At the same time my forehead seemed bathed in a clammy vapor, and the peculiar smell of decayed fungus arose to my nostrils. I put forward my arm, and shuddered to find that I had fallen at the very brink of a circular pit, whose extent, of course, I had no means of ascertaining at the moment. Groping about the masonry just below the margin, I succeeded in dislodging a small fragment, and let it fall into the abyss. For many seconds I hearkened to its reverberations as it dashed against the sides of the chasm in its descent; at length there was a sullen plunge into water, succeeded by loud echoes. At the same moment there came a sound resembling the quick opening, and as rapid closing of a door overhead, while a faint gleam of light flashed suddenly through the gloom, and as suddenly faded away.

How does the author create suspense in this excerpt?


A. by describing a mysterious physical situation that could be a deadly trap for the narrator


B. by including unpleasant details such as the smell of decayed fungus and the echo of falling rock


C. by expressing the fear the narrator feels at not knowing what is in store for him


D. by suggesting that the narrator is unaware of the danger he is in

Answer 1

A. by describing a mysterious physical situation that could be a deadly trap for the narrator

Step-by-step explanation:

Answer 2

The correct answer is A.

In this passage, the author creates suspense by describing a mysterious physical situation that could be a deadly trap. He is close to the edge of a large pit, so close that much of his head is hanging off the side. Poe creates suspense by the fact that the narrator close to the edge of a very deep pit.

Unpleasant details add to the sensory impact of the excerpt, but not its suspense. Furthermore, the narrator is confused in this excerpt, but not really fearful. He doesn't know enough about his current sitatuation to be afraid. Finally, the narrator becomes very quickly aware of the danger he's in -- he quickly realizes most of his head is hanging off the edge of the pit, a great danger indeed.

Therefore, Poe creates suspense by describing a mysterious physical situation that could be a deadly trap for the narrator.