Tension is created by building up a sense of conflict or uncertainty, while suspense is created by withholding information or leaving the reader uncertain about what will happen next. Tension is often created through the use of figurative language, foreshadowing, and conflict. Suspense is created by keeping the reader in the dark about something, such as the identity of the villain or the outcome of a situation.
Here are some examples of tension and suspense in literature:
- In the novel The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, tension is created by the conflict between Gatsby's dreams and his reality. Suspense is created by withholding information about Gatsby's past and by leaving the reader uncertain about his true intentions.
- In the short story The Tell-Tale Heart, by Edgar Allan Poe, tension is created by the narrator's increasing madness and his obsession with the old man's eye. Suspense is created by the reader's uncertainty about whether or not the narrator will actually kill the old man.
Overall, tension and suspense are both important literary devices that can be used to create a sense of excitement and anticipation in literature. While tension is created by building up conflict and uncertainty, suspense is created by withholding information or leaving the reader uncertain about what will happen next.