What are the similarities between the books In the Fog and The Hitchhiker?

Answer 1

In the two plays In the Fog and The Hitchhiker there are many similarities and differences in the setting that create suspense. First, there are many similarities between these two plays in the setting. For example both of the stories take place in the early 19020's and 1930's, the reader or watcher can identify this very quickly in both plays due to the reference In the Fog to "…you moonshiners!" a term that refers to the prohibition of the 1920's , and The Hitchhiker which tells the time in the introduction. Another huge similarity is that both plays take place on the road. In the Fog's introduction we are told," an auto mobile approaches" (Geiger 77), in The Hitchhiker we are informed by the protagonist, Ronald Adams, "I left Brooklyn to drive to California". The setting in the case of both stories makes the reader uneasy because of the mostly desolate location. Then, we have the many differences that occur in these two plays. As an example The Hitchhiker takes place over the set of several days and is mostly told in flashback by Ronald Adams, who uses past tense to tell us his experience, "I was… I would have…" (Fletcher 89). While In the Fog is present tense and happens over the course of a single night. Another huge difference is the states in which the plays take place, The Hitchhiker takes place over many states, In the Fog takes place in ," Gettysburg and Gettysburg battlefield"(Geiger 84). The changing setting in The Hitchhiker makes the reader nervous with the uncertainty to where the Gray man, the antagonist might appear, while Gettysburg jogs a memory of the many deaths that occurred as it is used In the Fog. In conclusion the many similarities and differences in setting make the plays unique yet suspenseful all together.

Other than the setting another eerie contribute to the suspense in the two plays are the props and sound effects. First, the similarities in the plays in this area are great. One of the more obvious ones is the gas station that is essential to both plays, to The Hitchhiker the gas station is more important due to the long car trip Ronald Adams must make, while In the Fog it is necessary near the end as the gas attendant hints to the Doctor, the protagonist that the "moonshiners" he saw where ghosts of the Gettysburg battlefield. The second similarity is that the main prop in both stories is a car or car sounds. The reason the Doctor of In the Fog even sees ghosts are due to car troubles, and The Hitchhiker's Ronald Adams is in the car for the entire time. The situation of the characters being stranded in or alone in their cars makes the reader somewhat worried or expecting trouble. Secondly, the major differences in the props and sound effects out weigh the similarities. For example, The Hitchhiker is meant to be a radio play while In the Fog is preformed on a stage. The actors playing the different characters need to make the listener or watcher feel anxiety and fear for the protagonist.