Detailed plan for commentary
Texte du bac blanc N°1
This text is an excerpt from The white Wand and Other Stories written by L P Hartley. It was published in 1954. The protagonist is Walter Streeter, a writer. The scene takes place at night in the small hours. The text dramatises the encounter between this writer and a fake policeman , who may turn out to be a dangerous man.
In this text three main points of interest can be found. To begin with, we will deal with the strange encounter itself. Then we will speak about the ingredients of suspense . Finally we will speak about the protagonist's new awareness of danger.

I - The strange encounter :
Contrast between the quiet of his office and the impromptu visit.
At the beginning, Walter is in his office. He is writing "because he felt so much in the vein tonight. " He is absorbed by his task " When his housekeeper came in to say good night, he scarcely raised his eyes." The house was plunged in the quiet of the night. I quote "In the snug little room the silence purred like a kettle."
Then , the silence is broken by the door bell ringing insistently. I quote " He did not even hear the door bell , had it been ringing for some time. A visitor at this hour?" The visitor turns out to be a policeman. " What was his relief to see the tall figure of a policeman." As soon as he sees this man ,he invites him to stay in.
What we , readers, may wonder is why a policeman comes to his home.

II- The ingredients of suspense :
First of all, a strange atmosphere prevails. The scene takes place on a cold night in winter. It is quiet and silent all around. I quote : " In the snug little room the silence purred around him like a kettle" . The protagonist is now isolated at home. His servant has gone to bed "When his housekeeper came in to say good night he scarcely raised his eyes." All these ingredients conjure up a gloomy atmosphere.
Moreover, when the door bell breaks the silence , the protagonist worries. He