Question

Read the passage.

excerpt from “The Pit and the Pendulum” by Edgar Allan Poe

Down—steadily down it crept. I took a frenzied pleasure in contrasting its downward with its lateral velocity. To the right—to the left—far and wide—with the shriek of a damned spirit; to my heart with the stealthy pace of the tiger!...

Down—certainly, relentlessly down! It vibrated within three inches of my bosom! I struggled violently, furiously, to free my left arm. This was free only from the elbow to the hand. I could reach the latter, from the platter beside me, to my mouth, with great effort, but no farther. …

Down—still unceasingly—still inevitably down! I gasped and struggled at each vibration. I shrunk convulsively at its every sweep. My eyes followed its outward or upward whirls with the eagerness of the most unmeaning despair; they closed themselves spasmodically at the descent, although death would have been a relief, oh! how unspeakable!

How does the author create suspense in this excerpt?

A. The author foreshadows the coming gruesome death of the prisoner.

B. The author uses this account to end the story with a cliff-hanger.

C. The author reveals details about the measurements the prisoner calculated.

D. The author repeats the word down to show the slow descent of the pendulum.

Answer 1

@ThisGirlPretty

Answer 2

@Falconmaster

Answer 3

either c or d i would go with c tho but thats my own personal opinion

Answer 4

what's your answer ?

Answer 5

Refer to Explorations in Literature for a complete version of this story.

In “The Pit and the Pendulum,” the narrator explains, "I proceeded for many paces; but still all was blackness and vacancy."

How does Poe's inclusion of this description affect the story?


A. It contributes to the story's rather serene mood by describing the peaceful emptiness of the environment.

B. It creates dark humor by making readers imagine how foolish the narrator must look in this situation.

C. It increases the suspense by maintaining the narrator's sense of displacement and uncertainty.

D. It adds mystery to the tale by subtly suggesting that the narrator has something to hide.

Answer 6

b?