Compare the pace of the middle and end of the story. How is the pace different? Why do you think the author chose to change the pace in different parts of the text? Write three or four sentences to explain your answer.

Sample Response: In the middle of the story, the author uses a fast pace to build suspense while the narrator is going back and forth about whether or not to kill the captain. This creates a stressful mood that is similar to the stress the narrator feels. In the last paragraph, the narrator has made a decision, and the pace slows down with longer, descriptive sentences as the captain slowly gets ready to leave the barbershop. The author used different paces in these parts in order to build suspense through the story and then resolve the conflict in the end.