Charles Dickens: Great Expectations

Great Expectations, a book by Charles Dickens, employs a variety of settings to build tension and suspense. Dickens’ skillful use of imagery and descriptions draws the reader into the narrative and gives them the impression that they are actually feeling the tension.

The Marshes:

The novel’s opening scene is set in the marshes, which are painted as a desolate and ominous location. As Pip is being pursued by the prisoner Magwitch, the setting aids in generating a sense of dread and unease. The sense of danger and unease is increased by the reader’s ability to picture the gloomy and dark surroundings.