Question

Part 1: Narrative Techniques to Develop Plot, Characters, and Setting

Read the passage below and answer the questions:

Passage:
Lucy crept quietly through the dark forest, her heart pounding. The trees seemed to close in around her, and the distant hoot of an owl sent shivers down her spine. Suddenly, a soft rustling sound came from the bushes nearby, making her freeze in place.

Questions:

What narrative technique is used to show Lucy’s feelings and build suspense in the story?

How does the description of the forest help develop the setting?

What do the sounds and Lucy’s reactions tell you about the plot at this moment?

Answer 1

1) The passage uses close third-person focalization with vivid sensory imagery and "showing" rather than telling to convey Lucy’s feelings and build suspense. Details like "her heart pounding," "shivers," and the "soft rustling" let readers experience her fear directly; short, tense phrases and personification ("trees seemed to close in") heighten the sense of menace.

2) The forest description establishes a dark, claustrophobic, and isolated setting. Nighttime cues (dark forest, distant hoot), enclosing imagery (trees closing in), and sensory detail create an eerie atmosphere that suggests danger and heightens tension.

3) The sounds and Lucy’s reactions signal a moment of rising action and impending conflict. The rustling implies an unseen presence (animal or person), and Lucy freezing with a pounding heart shows she perceives threat—so the plot is moving into a suspenseful confrontation or discovery.