Narrative literature has long been a popular pastime of readers due to its ability to create emotional tension and suspense. To build suspense, a storyteller typically employs a combination of plot elements, dramatization, and the careful construction of a sequence of events. When done well, the effect can be quite powerful.

The excerpt we will analyze is from John Irving’s novel The Cider House Rules. It describes the sequence of events when the protagonist, Homer Wells, enters an unfamiliar woods:

I was in a strange place, so I was nervous and alert. I walked through the woods and felt a singular emotion: fear. I imagined lurking danger in the trees, behind the trees, in the darkness. I was afraid of being hurt, of being seen, of being surprised. I was afraid of something I couldn’t know until I encountered it.

The sequence of events in this excerpt creates suspense by gradually increasing the tension as Homer Wells moves through the woods. Irving frames the narrative in a way that builds dread with each step he takes. He begins by mentioning that Homer is in a strange place, implying a sense of being lost or out of his element. He then intensifies the suspense by articulating a single emotion: fear. The reader is then pulled into the narrative as Irving describes the heightened fear of “lurking danger,” specifically that of Homer being “surprised.” The fear builds to a peak as Homer is left to wonder what dangerous thing he will encounter.

The unknown danger in the woods effectively builds suspense, but it is the sequence of events that creates the emotional tension. By carefully constructing a narrative that gradually escalates in fear, Irving brings the reader along for the journey, allowing them to experience the mounting dread that Homer feels as he enters the woods. The sequence of events creates suspense in this excerpt by drawing the audience in and making them anxious to discover what lies ahead.