THE RED ROOM ---H.G.WELLS

This story is suspense thriller . By effective use of language and setting , H.G.Wells creates an eerie atmosphere . The story resolves around a man who visits a castle which has an old couple as house keepers . TAhis castle belonged to a young Duke who had died mysteriously . A particular room in the castle referred to as the 'Red Room' was supposed to be haunted . The narrator comes to the castle to investigate . The old couple is extremely unfriendly and uncooperative to him . The narrator takes the instructions to reach the red room and then proceeds to move along the corrider . The writer at this point , presents a vivid picture of the room .As one reads the story , one can recreate the scene . The room is large with a mantelpiece which has candle stands on it . There is a fireplace where the coal is glowing . The narrator prepares to light all the candles .As time passes , the candles are put out one by one and the narrator is left in total darkness . He is terrified and tries to rush out of the room .
The narrator is terrified in the darkness and begins to imagine the ghost following him . He tries in desperation to reach the landing of the staircase but hits against the bed and other objects and is badly hurt on his forehead . He become unconscious and later opens his eyes to find the old couple bending over him . They question him about the ghost as they are convinced that the injury is the ghost's doing . The narrator , however , proclaims dramatically that the house was indeed haunted.......not by a ghost but by fear . The story is thus an eye-opener for all of us who often refuse to see reason when clouded by fear . "Fear is thus greatest enemy of mankind" .