Is there any suspense? If so, when does it occur and why? on the story "The Cremation of Sam McGee"
Have you read this poem? Do you think there's suspense?
The Cremation of Sam McGee
BY ROBERT W. SERVICE
There are strange things done in the midnight sun
By the men who moil for gold;
The Arctic trails have their secret tales
That would make your blood run cold;
The Northern Lights have seen queer sights,
But the queerest they ever did see
Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarge
I cremated Sam McGee.
Now Sam McGee was from Tennessee, where the cotton blooms and blows.
Why he left his home in the South to roam 'round the Pole, God only knows.
He was always cold, but the land of gold seemed to hold him like a spell;
Though he'd often say in his homely way that "he'd sooner live in hell."
On a Christmas Day we were mushing our way over the Dawson trail.
Talk of your cold! through the parka's fold it stabbed like a driven nail.
If our eyes we'd close, then the lashes froze till sometimes we couldn't see;
It wasn't much fun, but the only one to whimper was Sam McGee.
And that very night, as we lay packed tight in our robes beneath the snow,
And the dogs were fed, and the stars o'erhead were dancing heel and toe,
He turned to me, and "Cap," says he, "I'll cash in this trip, I guess;
And if I do, I'm asking that you won't refuse my last request."
Well, he seemed so low that I couldn't say no; then he says with a sort of moan:
"It's the cursèd cold, and it's got right hold till I'm chilled clean through to the bone.
Yet 'tain't being dead—it's my awful dread of the icy grave that pains;
So I want you to swear that, foul or fair, you'll cremate my last remains."
A pal's last need is a thing to heed, so I swore I would not fail;
And we started on at the streak of dawn; but God! he looked ghastly pale.
He crouched on the sleigh, and he raved all day of his home in Tennessee;
And before nightfall a corpse was all that was left of Sam McGee.
There wasn't a breath in that land of death, and I hurried, horror-driven,
With a corpse half hid that I couldn't get rid, because of a promise given;
It was lashed to the sleigh, and it seemed to say: "You may tax your brawn and brains,
But you promised true, and it's up to you to cremate those last remains."
Now a promise made is a debt unpaid, and the trail has its own stern code.
In the days to come, though my lips were dumb, in my heart how I cursed that load.
In the long, long night, by the lone firelight, while the huskies, round in a ring,
Howled out their woes to the homeless snows— O God! how I loathed the thing.
And every day that quiet clay seemed to heavy and heavier grow;
And on I went, though the dogs were spent and the grub was getting low;
The trail was bad, and I felt half mad, but I swore I would not give in;
And I'd often sing to the hateful thing, and it hearkened with a grin.
Till I came to the marge of Lake Lebarge, and a derelict there lay;
It was jammed in the ice, but I saw in a trice it was called the "Alice May."
And I looked at it, and I thought a bit, and I looked at my frozen chum;
Then "Here," said I, with a sudden cry, "is my cre-ma-tor-eum."
Some planks I tore from the cabin floor, and I lit the boiler fire;
Some coal I found that was lying around, and I heaped the fuel higher;
The flames just soared, and the furnace roared—such a blaze you seldom see;
And I burrowed a hole in the glowing coal, and I stuffed in Sam McGee.
Then I made a hike, for I didn't like to hear him sizzle so;
And the heavens scowled, and the huskies howled, and the wind began to blow.
It was icy cold, but the hot sweat rolled down my cheeks, and I don't know why;
And the greasy smoke in an inky cloak went streaking down the sky.
I do not know how long in the snow I wrestled with grisly fear;
But the stars came out and they danced about ere again I ventured near;
I was sick with dread, but I bravely said: "I'll just take a peep inside.
I guess he's cooked, and it's time I looked"; ... then the door I opened wide.
And there sat Sam, looking cool and calm, in the heart of the furnace roar;
And he wore a smile you could see a mile, and he said: "Please close that door.
It's fine in here, but I greatly fear you'll let in the cold and storm—
Since I left Plumtree, down in Tennessee, it's the first time I've been warm."
There are strange things done in the midnight sun
By the men who moil for gold;
The Arctic trails have their secret tales
That would make your blood run cold;
The Northern Lights have seen queer sights,
But the queerest they ever did see
Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarge
I cremated Sam McGee.
Yes, there is suspense in the story "The Cremation of Sam McGee" by Robert W. Service. Suspense is created in several instances throughout the narrative.
1. The initial suspense is introduced when the speaker, who is traveling with Sam McGee in the Arctic cold, hints at a dark secret concerning Sam's fate. He mentions that Sam's cremation is necessary, but does not provide further details, leaving the reader curious about what happened to Sam and why it is so significant.
2. The suspense escalates when the speaker explains the harsh conditions of the frozen Arctic and describes the extreme discomfort and suffering endured by Sam. The reader is left wondering how Sam coped with the frigid temperatures and if he managed to survive.
3. As the speaker continues the narrative, he mentions how Sam McGee often expressed his desire to be cremated instead of being buried in the Arctic ice. This raises questions as to why Sam had such a peculiar request and adds intrigue to the story.
4. The climax of the suspense occurs when the speaker finally reaches the last stages of his journey with Sam. He describes finding a derelict boat, the "Alice May," and how he manages to fulfill Sam's wish for cremation. The reader is kept in suspense, wondering how the speaker will fulfill this request and what will happen next.
5. The resolution of the suspense comes near the end of the story when the speaker successfully cremates Sam McGee's body on the boat. This climax resolves the suspense created throughout the story and provides closure to the mystery surrounding Sam's final fate.
The suspense in "The Cremation of Sam McGee" is effectively employed to engage the reader's curiosity, build anticipation, and add tension to the narrative.
Yes, there is suspense in the story "The Cremation of Sam McGee" by Robert W. Service. The suspense occurs in several instances in the story.
First, the suspense builds up when the narrator, who is travelling in the Arctic Circle, meets Sam McGee, who is described as "soft in the head". There is a sense of anticipation as the narrator mentions that he has a tale to tell about Sam McGee, implying that something intriguing or unexpected has happened to him.
The suspense increases when Sam McGee asks the narrator to cremate him after his death. This is an unusual request, and it piques the reader's curiosity about why McGee would make such a request. It creates a sense of mystery surrounding McGee's character and his reasons for wanting his body to be cremated in the Arctic.
As the narrative progresses, the suspense heightens when the narrator describes the extreme cold and harsh conditions in the Arctic Circle. The reader is left wondering how the narrator will fulfill Sam McGee's request in such unforgiving circumstances.
Finally, the climax of the story occurs when the narrator finds a boat on the river with a wood stove. He decides to use the stove to cremate Sam McGee. The suspense reaches its peak as the reader wonders if the narrator will be able to successfully cremate McGee's body and fulfill his promise.
In summary, the suspense in "The Cremation of Sam McGee" occurs when the narrator encounters Sam McGee, when McGee makes the unusual request to be cremated, and during the climactic scene where the narrator attempts to fulfill that request in the harsh Arctic environment. This suspense adds tension and engages the reader, making the story more compelling.