Edgar Allan Poe's "The Premature Burial" is a masterful example of how sentence structure can be used to build suspense and create a sense of unease in the reader. Poe frequently employs long, complex sentences that are full of detail and description. However, he also uses short, choppy sentences to create a sense of urgency and panic.
The shift from long, descriptive sentences to short, choppy sentences helps to create a sense of tension and suspense in the reader. As the sentences become shorter and more abrupt, the pace of the story quickens, and the reader feels a sense of urgency and unease. The suddenness of the sentence structure change creates a feeling of unease, as the reader senses that something is about to happen.
As the reader progresses through the story, the emotions that are evoked are fear, anxiety, and a sense of claustrophobia. The long, descriptive sentences create a sense of confinement and entrapment, while the short, choppy sentences create a sense of panic and urgency. The reader feels the fear and anxiety of the protagonist, who is trapped in a coffin and struggling to escape. The sentence structure changes help to create a sense of unease and suspense, leading the reader to feel a sense of dread and anticipation as the story unfolds.