In this essay, I will be comparing the similarities and the differences of H G Wells `The Red Room' and Charles Dickens `The Signal-man' in the sense of how the authors build up the stories, use the language and many more to appeal the readers. Before I go to any details, I shall introduce these ghost stories in general. These stories are a pre-20th century short story, written in around 19th century, to be precise. Both of them are Gothic story as a genre and have typical Victorian language. A gothic story is a type of romantic fiction that predominated in English literature. The Gothic novel emphasised mystery and horror and was filled with ghost haunted rooms, underground passages, and secret stairways. These ingredients are essential and crucial for Gothic story in order to create suspense and dread to the readers.

The opening structure of a story...