"Lost Hearts" written by MR James is a disturbing yet intriguing tale. MR James uses intense descriptions and shows ghostly figures to create tension. Unexpected events happen throughout the story. Mr. Abney's obsession with pagans and religion makes the reader wonder why he is so interested in taking in his orphaned cousin and how it might benefit him. “The professor of Greek at Cambridge had been heard to say that no one knew more about the religious beliefs of the later pagans than the owner of Aswarby.” We learn of the disappearance of the previous two children, who were also taken in by Mr. Abney. After ghostly sightings of the two children with their hearts torn out are witnessed by their young cousin Stephen, a sense of foreshadowing of events is created and it is suggested to the reader that the third victim will be the innocent Stephen. While describing Aswarby Hall, M. R. James describes it as a "tall, square, red-brick house". This is done to create curiosity and interest as the description given is of an average looking house that would be similar to the others around it as nothing in particular stands out about the house. Mr. James uses unexpected settings like this. In traditional ghost stories the setting of a house is often a grand and unusually creepy house that creates a dark and sinister atmosphere, but M.R. James does the opposite. He describes his settings using people's daily lives, for example the description of the house they live in. He does this because he believes it has a scarier impact on the audience as the reader feels connected to ordinary characters and settings just like them. , and they can no longer part with characters like Mr. Abney. Although to create a sinister ATM... half of paper... it only requires that if he were twelve years old and if he wasn't he would be of no use to Mr. Abney and meant that he wouldn't have bothered to take care of him unless he got something out of it. It then takes the reader back to the other two children who had previously disappeared and makes the reader question their disappearance as they were also a similar age to Stephen. It adds further reflection that Mr. Abney's intentions are impure. Mr. Abney's interest in pagan culture may be the reason for his anxious behavior and anxious questions. M.R. James uses foreshadowing to create tension using his setting, his language, and his characters. I think the ending of "Lost Hearts" was rather sudden and not as built up and escalated as his other short ghost stories like "The Treasure of Abbott Thomas" or "The Treaty of Middoth", but it contained a well-managed crescendo.