Modern prose and drama – November 2021-GCSE

How do writers present characters behaving in unexpected ways in ‘The Darkness Out There’ and in one other story from Telling Tales?
Write about:

• the unexpected ways people behave in the two stories
• how the writers present characters behaving in unexpected ways.

Both Penelope Lively’s “The Darkness Out There” and Roald Dahl’s “The Landlady” have people who act in unexpected ways, which builds suspense and mystery for the reader. In “The Darkness Out There,” characters act unexpectedly in the face of seemingly innocent circumstances, whereas “The Landlady,” characters act unexpectedly in a more malevolent manner.

When Sandra and Kerry, the teenage protagonists in “The Darkness Out There,” volunteer to help Mrs. Rutter with domestic duties, she treats them to tea and cake, giving the impression that she is a lovely old woman. However,