Setting, atmosphere and colour
The War of the Worlds by H G Wells
‘The Falling Star’ Chapter 2
Setting and atmosphere
This chapter finds the narrator, (and by extension, the reader) face-to-face with the Martians.
In this chapter the writer creates a sense of suspense, building towards fear. The following
exercise will help you to explore how this is achieved.
1. Read the passage once.
2. Re-read, focusing on how the writer creates atmosphere. This second type of reading is
close or slow reading, when you will focus carefully and think about the connotations
(associations) of certain words and phrases.
Use of hindsight,
creating a sense of
foreboding.
Final sentence of Chapter 1 –‘It seemed so safe and tranquil’ - see
first page of ‘The Falling Star’
Non-specific words
that create suspense:
It, thing, something
‘The Thing itself lay almost entirely buried in sand.’ p.14
Unusual or disturbing
connotations.
‘Its outline softened by a thick scaly dun-coloured incrustation’ p.14
Alliterative phrases
that add powerfully to
description.
‘Amidst the scattered splinters of a fir tree it had shivered to
fragments in its descent …’
Words and phrases
associated with hell.
‘pit’, ‘ashy’, ‘sizzling’
Sentences:
Long, descriptive
sentences that build
tension.
Shorter sentences that
convey shock.
The very long description in ‘The Falling Star’, culminating in Ogilvy’s
realization that the cylinder is artificial and is slowly unscrewing – pp.
14-15
From this chapter, what type of atmosphere has the writer succeeded in creating?
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Setting, atmosphere and colour
The War of the Worlds by H G Wells
‘The Heat Ray’ Chapter 5
Setting and atmosphere
Using the chart below, fill in the right hand column.
Metaphor that describes the
narrator’s confused state of mind.
‘I was a battleground of fear and curiosity’
Combined metaphor and simile
that describes the strange,
inhuman physical appearance of
the creatures.
‘A leash of thin black whips, like the arms of an octopus’
Repetition for effect – how the
Deputation are repeatedly
described.
‘little knot of people … little wedge of people’ etc.
Personification of the Heat Ray
making it seem even more
terrifying.
‘A bright glare leaping from one to another’
Lexical field – close grouping of
words that stress the men’s
horrible death.
‘Flashes, flame, bright glare, flashed, white flame,
turned to fire.’
Sentence length – long,
descriptive sentences that build
tension. Shorter sentences that
convey shock.
From this chapter, what type of atmosphere has the writer succeeded in creating?
The War of the Worlds copyright © H G Wells
© 2007 www.teachit.co.uk
5842.doc
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Setting, atmosphere and colour
The War of the Worlds by H G Wells
Your turn!
•
•
Choose another extract important for the development of setting and atmosphere.
Create your own chart, using your knowledge about language.
Use of colour adjectives
Colour adjectives are commonly used by Wells to add atmosphere to a setting. As you read the
novel, compile a set of important descriptions that incorporate colour. Think of common
connotations of colours and include your own comments on these descriptions. One has been
done for you.
Colour
Page
Description and comment
45
‘I saw that the driving clouds had been pierced as it were by a
thread of green fire’,
Red
White
Black
Green
The Martians are often associated with green and in particular
green fire or smoke, an unnatural combination that adds to the
strangeness of the creatures.
Brown
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5842.doc
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