Question

How often, in her waking hours and in her dreams, had she started in wild horror, and covered her face with her hands as she thought of her lover opening the door on the other side of which waited the cruel fangs of the tiger!

But how much oftener had she seen him at the other door! How in her grievous reveries had she gnashed her teeth, and torn her hair, when she saw his start of rapturous delight as he opened the door of the lady!

—“The Lady, or the Tiger,”
Frank R. Stockton

Which strategy is the author using to build suspense in this passage?

putting characters in jeopardy
using time to build tension
placing characters in a dangerous setting
using point of view to show characters’ thoughts

Answer 1

The author is primarily using **putting characters in jeopardy** to build suspense in this passage. The tension arises from the protagonist's fear and anxiety about her lover's fate, as he faces the unknown outcomes of opening one of two doors: one leading to a tiger and certain death, and the other leading to the lady, which could represent either happiness or jealousy. This danger creates a sense of urgency and suspense in the narrative.