'The Landlady' by Roald Dahl

'The Landlady' is a short story about a young lad called Billy travelling to Bath on a business trip. He arrives in Bath in the evening and looks for accommodation. Bath was an unfamiliar place to Billy so he was unsure of the area. Billy was guided by a porter who recommended the 'Bell and Dragon' because it was close by, but Billy never went. Although the landlady offered cheap prices and cosy surroundings, she changes her attitude towards Billy as the story unfolds. He then realises that this landlady doesn't appear to be all that she seems to be. He begins to become concerned during his stay but never manages to uncover the landlady's secret before she murders the young lad.

To create suspense Roald Dahl has set the time at 9pm when darkness takes over light. As dark represents evil the mood changes to an atmosphere of suspense, particularly if you're unfamiliar with the area. This is exactly what happened to Billy and Roald Dahl therefore shows this as part of a beginning of suspense.

The weather is an important part of the setting in which Roald Dahl creates a sinister mood. 'The moon was coming up out of a clear starry sky'. This quote is associated with strange things happening creating evil as the atmosphere changes. When this changes a peculiar feel to the darkness begins to happen as the moon appears in a clear sky. It shows the start of a supernatural suspense, which the reader is determined to continue with this suspense story.

Roald Dahl develops a dramatic setting of the weather furthermore. To add more fear to the air the writer uses a simile in order to relate to a sinister subject. 'The wind was like a flat blade of ice on his cheeks'. This shows that the wind was sharp and 'deadly cold'. 'Flat blade' is associated with knives which is related to evil because it causes people to bleed when cut. Roald Dahl has shown 'flat blade' and 'deadly cold' to represent suspense in a 'deadly' way. This also sends a shiver to the reader making them focus