Question

Describe the overall mood, atmosphere, or underlying idea of the following excerpts and list the author's words that have connotations that contribute to that mood or idea.

He was leaning against the ledge of an open lattice, but not looking out: his face was turned to the interior gloom. The fire had smouldered to ashes; the room was filled with the damp, mild air of the cloudy evening; and so still, that not only the murmur of the beck down Gimmerton was distinguishable, but its ripples and its gurgling over the pebbles, or through the large stones which it could not cover. (Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, Chapter 34.)

Answer 1

This passage allows us to see into the inner struggle and loneliness of the character. This is revealed in the phrase "interior gloom" while he faces the "open lattice" but he was not looking at anything at all. He was engrossed in his own thoughts and feelings of a closure or an ending of life implied in the phrase "the fire had smouldered to ashes." The surroundings was so silent and cold as revealed in the words "damp, mild air," "cloudy evening" and "so still."

Answer 2

Answer:

The following passage grants us insight into the misery of the character.  This is verbally confirmed via the phrase "interior gloom."  The character is experiencing raw emotions to the extent that he does not care for external stimuli, he is entirely focused on processing whatever it is that is ailing him.  Authoress Emily maximizes the melancholy atmosphere by using the terms: "the room was filled with the damp, mild air of the cloudy evening", "the fire smoldered to ashes", "and so still."  These connotations all point toward the depression of the muse.  Its a heavily negative atmosphere.