Descriptive Writing

Creating Tension and Atmosphere

The Boy’s PerspectiveHe opened the sitting room door and looked into the darkness. Holding the lantern, he took a deep breath and started on his journey. He looked back and his mother nodded and patted him on the head. He took a step forward as the door closed behind him. He looked upwards at the staircase. Holding the banister and light in hand, he moved towards the first step. The light flickered in the dark. He started off slowly but as one of the floorboards creaked, he tested the step again to ensure it would take his weight. He went towards his room through the corridors.

The Sandman’s PerspectiveHe opened the door and then shut it behind him. He looked up at the stairs and then began heading for them. His head turned as he listened out for any noise of the boy’s whereabouts. A glass crashed above making his head turn. He approached the stairs and started to head upwards. A step creaked beneath his weight; he paused and slammed the full weight of his foot down a few times. Afterwards, he looked up and walked up the stairs.

The Boy’s Perspective

He opened the sitting room door; peered cautiously into the darkness and the unknown which loomed before him. Grasping the lantern tightly to his chest, he took a deep breath and summoned up his courage for the journey he was about to embark upon. He looked pleadingly back, one final time, at his mother who nodded reassuringly and patted him softly on the head. Timidly, he took a shuffling half step forward as the door closed loudly and ominously behind him.

Gulping down his fear and terror, he looked upwards at the huge, ornate and never-ending staircase which twisted perilously above him. His time had come; he had to ascend.

He clung to the banister for support and, with his body crouched and cowering over the light from the lamp, he started to edge his foot slowly and silently towards the first step. The precious light emanating from the lantern, danced and darted around the steps as his hand shook tremulously, creating ever more dark corners and shadows, to assault his senses.

He started off slowly but as one of the floorboards groaned and creaked beneath him, he pivoted around to ensure nothing had heard; nothing was following. He tested the step again, carefully this time, to ensure it would take his weight, and petrified now, he began to dart towards the safety of his room, skittering along the vast and endless maze of corridors like a little mouse desperately seeking cover.

The Sandman’s Perspective

He shoved open the door and confidently announced his presence with a loud slam. The door quaked on its hinges, left mangled and buckled in his wake. He smiled leeringly and menacingly at the stairs which formed a path directly to his precious destination.

Flexing and stretching his long, hooked claws in anticipation for what he knew was awaiting him, he stealthily and audaciously headed for the base of the staircase. His head twisted and turned as he paused, alert, for any noise that would indicate his prey’s location.

Suddenly, a crash of glass resonated from above, and in that second, his head snapped to the left.

He approached the stairs and started to bound upwards in quick, assertive strides: eager, keen, hungry to snatch his bounty. A step creaked and complained beneath his weight; he paused, not through caution, but through delight. He slammed the full weight of his foot down again on the groaning floorboard; two, three times. Gleefully, he looked up once more, seemingly sensing the boy’s fear and terror as it penetrated the air. Euphoric, he pounded up the stairs, intent on reaching his terrified target.

Writing Task

• Write a descriptive short story which uses a variety of literary techniques to build up tension, reveal character’s feelings/situation and convey a sense of meaning and purpose to the reader.

• Try to incorporate an object which symbolises/represents something to the main character and in the wider story (like the lantern)

Task options

Take another childhood tale or myth and create an inverted version of it.

OR

Write a story based around the theme of FEAR.

OR

Write a story using the title ‘No Fear’.

OR

Use your descriptive paragraph in a new context and write a story based around it (you can edit it to suit).

Deadline Date

• A typed copy of your story should be handed in on MONDAY 26th SEPTEMBER 2013

• You must hand in a hard copy (no printing out in class time) and an electronic copy (either emailed to Rachel.King3@moray-edunet.gov.uk or via memory stick) Save as Rich Text Format

• Your story should be no longer than 1000 words and have an appropriate title. Proof read carefully.

Essay Typed Format

• Format your typed essay as follows:

– Font size 12– Times New Roman or Arial– Line Spacing = 1.5 (found in ‘format paragraph’– Left or fully justified– Header:

Your Name Creative Forres Academy

– Footer: Page x of y