Nature gets more difficult to outsmart every six hours. Birds are swarming in bigger numbers than ever before. Packs are being formed and territories are being claimed. Each species has a different tactic to use as an attacking skill. Daphne du Maurier creates the mood of suspense in her short story "The Birds" through the uses of foreshadowing, conflict, and imagery.

Du Maurier uses descriptive words to build the suspense. "The birds have been more restless than ever this fall of the year, the agitation more marked because the days were still" (Maurier 52). The birds are going to cause problems later in the story.This gives the reader a feeling of uneasiness because of the way the birds are acting. The birds are acting in an unstable way …show more content…
Man v. Man = "He tried to tell Mrs. Trigg what had happened, but he could see from her eyes that she thought his story was a result of a nightmare" (Maurier 56). Mrs. Trigg does not believe Nat's story about the bird attacks. She is carefree and trusting that all will be fine. Mrs. Trigg reactions make the reader have a false sense of security. Man v. Nature = "...Nat, and the children flung themselves, screaming, upon him, while in the darkness the birds rose and dived and came for him again" (Maurier 53). The birds seem they want to go after Nat's children and the family will not survive. The feeling of the reader is described as panicked. Horror consumes the reader. Nat v. Society = "They're saying in town the Russians have done it. The Russians have poisoned the birds" (Maurier 63). The Triggs do not believe Nat, and no one believes that the bird threat is serious. The worry of what will the birds do next. Uncertainty is rattling the nerves of the reader. Different trials can influence a person's view of their …show more content…
“The leaves had lingered on the trees, golden red, and the hedgerows were still green” (Maurier 51). The trees are described to be breezy, mellow, and soft. It makes the reader feel calm and relaxed as the suspense builds in the background of the story. It is interpreted as a typical autumn day. “Black and white, Jackdaw and gull, mingled in strange partnership, seeking some sort of liberation” (Maurier 51). The birds are said to be forming a diverse, unified front. Describes the unique types of birds. The feeling of being puzzled or confused. It is unusual to see the variety of birds interacting with one another. “...The beating of the wing about him in the darkness” (Maurier 53). The birds beating on Nat describe how terrifying it was.This emotion makes the reader feel eerie. Furthermore, an animal that does not usually attack people is beating on one. The vivid details help the reader picture what is going on in the