Question

After two hours of a tedious cinematic production, the dim aisle lights flickered back on. Having endured scenes of fake gore and the phony distress of deficient actors, I stood to leave with a measure of relief. I would breathe easy in the open air, away from the greasy odors and the sniffling man whose cough had noisily barked over the on-screen dialogue. My steps slowed as the queue of exiting patrons jammed the aisles. Then the sliver of light from the exit door went dark. The theater was briefly silent, and I heard the unmistakable sound of a deadbolt locking.

What technique does the author use to build suspense in the excerpt?
The word choice darkens the tone.
Odd characters are introduced.
The setting details are intentionally omitted.
The outcome of events becomes uncertain

Answer 1

The technique used by the author to build suspense in the excerpt is "The outcome of events becomes uncertain." The excerpt sets up the expectation that the narrator will be leaving the theater soon, but that expectation is disrupted when the exit door suddenly goes dark and a deadbolt is heard locking. This creates a sense of uncertainty and tension in the reader, as they are left wondering what could be happening and what the outcome will be. The outcome of the situation is not revealed in the excerpt, leaving the reader to speculate and prolonging the suspense.