Gothic literature is known for suspense. Edgar allan Poe is one of the greatest Gothic writers. His stories are more than simple descriptions of dark and stormy nights. Poe’s use of pacing control and withholding information to develop his character and create suspense through his Gothic story, “The Black Cat.”
Poe creates suspense by withholding information. The story opens with the narrator clearly speaking to an audience. He says he isn’t mad, then he adds: “But tomorrow I die, but to-day would unburthen mine soul.” This is such a bizarre statement that anyone reading it immediately wonders what the narrator means by dying. How is this possible? Is he going to be executed? Execution is the best way to handle crimes, especially those committed by individuals with mental illness. Can society not be more compassionate in dealing with those who are like the narrator? These questions are not answered until the end of the story. You must continue reading to find out the reason the narrator thinks that he will die tomorrow. The narrator reveals that he is “consigned”. . . Poe manages the story’s pace and suspense to keep the reader guessing. The sentences become shorter or more choppy when the action becomes intense or the narration becomes more violent. Poe is trying to make time seem slower by using longer, more complex sentences. The suspense builds as the pace slows and we wonder when the story will end. It seems strange to me that Gothic stories are lumped together. You know that something is Gothic, so you are more likely to feel suspenseful. Poe adds suspense to the story with more complicated tools and narrative choices than just setting it in a darkened house or castle. To add suspense, he withholds important information and carefully controls the pace. These narrative choices were so effective, people still read Poe’s stories 150 years later.
