The Powerful Use of Tone in John Colliers The Chaser :: John Collier The Chaser

The Powerful Use of Tone in John coal miners The Chaser Alan Austen, as flighty as a kitten, went up certain dark and creaky stairs in the neighborhood of Pell highway . . . From the very outset of John Colliers The Chaser, the protagonist, Mr. Austen, appears to be very apprehensive. While it may seem that a young man who is venturing into a strange antiquated mans house to buy some sort of love potion is really quite fearless, it is made free through Colliers use of tone that Alan is anything but brave. Interestingly, eyepatch his situation pertaining to his sweetheart, Diana, never dislodges, Alan is so taken with the old mans words (which are really nothing more than a sales pitch) that he actually allows himself to let down his guard and be taken advantage of. Collier drastically alters Alans demeanor over the course of his brief visit in fact, by the end of the story, Colliers use of tone has changed he who was once nervous as a kitten into a man overwhelmed with jo y. He achieves this revolution through his physical descriptions of Austen, as well as Austens own words, and his fading skepticism surrounding the old man and his goods. The very first get of the book provides the most powerful and captivating image of Austen nervous as a kitten, slowly walking up creaky stairs, peering about for a long time on the dim landing. Collier is creating a vindicated sense of apprehension right away. This makes the contrast all the more contact when Mr. Austen relaxes later on. For now, he is very nervous. He pushed open the door, as he had been told to do, Collier writes. This gives the impression that had Austen not been instructed to open the door, he may know just taken the opportunity to turn around and head home. It is clear that Austen is not really sure if he even wants to enter the fiddling apartment, let alone do illegal business with the complete fantastic inside. Nevertheless, he continues on, as if driven by necessity. Once inside, h is attitude begins to change quite rapidly. Though his initial apprehension is evidenced by his stuttering and his uncompleted sentences, this quickly evolves into a keen interest, almost an infatuation, with the old mans goods. While he tries to avoid discussion of the poisons (I want nothing of the sort, he states with an ironical air of finality,) he is consumed with the powers of the love potion.