Question

Reread the portion of "Through the Tunnel" that describes Jerry’s journey through the tunnel. How does word choice create a sense of danger and suspense? Your response should be at least 150 words.

Answer 1

The word choice creates danger an suspense because it paints a vivid picture in our mind of what it might look like is happening. It shows how Jerry is worried that he will drown, and how once he get to number one hundred and fifteen he keeps repeating it. The world choice also makes it dramatic when he finallys sees sunlight through the crack, and he makes it up and doesnt think he will be able to make it a few feet to the rocks. The text also gives a sense of the pain Jeremy must feel because of how long he's been in the water. It tells how his lungs feel tight, how he has is getting sharp pains on his back but it also feels slimy, his nose bleeds into his goggles, and how he keeps banging his head. All in all I think the word choice made the situation barely suspensful because it made it seem like if he didn't accomplish his goal then he was going to die.

Answer 2

  A reader could start to feel suspense by first connecting to Jerry's curiosity. When he discovers the tunnel, the reader recognizes Jerry's fear of octopuses and possible death. The reader will then feel more suspense through Jerry's actions. This is because the boy takes so long to get inside the tunnel. It is also because of the author's descriptions. The reader would feel the tense feelings of Jerry because he obviously is holding his breathe for a long time. Then the reader would visualize the blue waters which were not comforting in a scary setting. While reading, a person would feel Jerry might not survive. The suspense develops when Jerry sees the crack of life and fights for air or survival. A reader can observe that suspense is most felt when characters are put in dangerous scenarios. Their feelings and their settings descriptions create the suspense. The author also has to very good with descriptive words.