Book Anatomy · The Woman in White
The Woman in White: Pace
16 lenses on pace for The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins. Count lenses are exact for our text. AI lenses are our reading and cite only quotes that passed a word for word check.
Jump to: D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 D8 D9 D10 D11 D12 D13 D14 D15 D16
D1. Chapter length in words, as a chart. Count
52 chapters, median 4,190 words. See the full lens on the book page.
D2. Mean sentence length per chapter. Count
Mean 17.4 words. See the full lens on the book page.
D3. Paragraph length per chapter. Count
Paragraphs average 60 words.
Mean paragraph words, chapter by chapter
D4. Scene against summary: how much is shown live? AI
Most of the book is shown live in scenes with dialogue and action. Chapters 15 to 18 shift to summary and documents as Gilmore narrates the marriage settlement dispute, then Marian's diary takes over with more scene-based storytelling.
Chapters: Ch 15, Ch 16, Ch 17, Ch 18, Ch 21, Ch 29
D5. Action against reflection, per chapter. AI
Early chapters balance action and reflection equally. Middle chapters (22 to 28) are heavy on action and eavesdropping. Later chapters (32 to 35) shift to reflection and investigation as Walter plans his strategy.
Chapters: Ch 3, Ch 8, Ch 22, Ch 28, Ch 32, Ch 35
Lulled by the Syren-song that my own heart sung to me, with eyes shut to all sight, and ears closed to all sound of danger, I drifted nearer and nearer to the fatal rocks. (Ch 8, para 11)
The fool’s crime is the crime that is found out, and the wise man’s crime is the crime that is NOT found out. (Ch 22, para 53)
D6. Tension score per chapter (1 to 5) as a curve. AI
Peak 5 of 5, mean 3.7. See the full lens on the book page.
D7. Emotional arc of the whole book, matched to the six shapes. Count
Riches to rags (fall). See the full lens on the book page.
D8. Chapter endings: cliffhanger, question, reveal or quiet close. AI
36 of 52 chapters end on a hook. See the full lens on the book page.
D9. Chapter openings: in scene, in summary, or after a time jump. AI
Most chapters open in scene. Chapters 15 to 18 open in summary as Gilmore reflects on events. Chapter 20 opens after a time jump signalled by 'A month or six weeks later'. Chapter 29 opens in Marian's delirious state.
Chapters: Ch 15, Ch 16, Ch 17, Ch 18, Ch 20, Ch 29
A month or six weeks later I saw an extract from an American newspaper, describing the departure of the adventurers on their inland journey. (Ch 20, para 13)
My early departure from London enabled me to reach Mr. Dawson’s house in the forenoon. Our interview, so far as the object of my visit was concerned, led to no satisfactory result. (Ch 36, para 2)
D10. Do chapters and sentences get shorter near the climax? Count
In the last fifth, chapters run at 0.69 times the length of earlier ones, and sentences at 1.01 times. So things speed up near the end.
D11. Dialogue density against pace. Count
Link between dialogue share and chapter length: 0.18 (1 is a perfect match, 0 none). Between dialogue share and tension: 0.31.
Dialogue % per chapter, chapter by chapter
D12. Time jumps and how they are signalled. Both
73 time jump phrases in the narration, such as 'next morning' or 'years later'.
| Where | Phrase |
|---|---|
| c2p39 | next morning |
| c2p39 | Three days passed |
| c2p40 | next day |
| c5p1 | next morning |
| c7p39 | next day |
| c7p57 | next day |
| c13p17 | next morning |
| c14p5 | next morning |
Time jump phrases, chapter by chapter
Ch 2, para 39: The next morning I sent my testimonials to the Professor’s employer in Portland Place. Three days passed, and I concluded, with secret satisfaction, that my papers had not …
Ch 2, para 39: The next morning I sent my testimonials to the Professor’s employer in Portland Place. Three days passed, and I concluded, with secret satisfaction, that my papers had not …
Ch 2, para 40: I made my arrangements, unwillingly enough, for leaving London early the next day. Towards evening Pesca looked in, on his way to a dinner-party, to bid me good-bye.
Ch 5, para 1: When I rose the next morning and drew up my blind, the sea opened before me joyously under the broad August sunlight, and the distant coast of Scotland …
Ch 7, para 39: On our way back I had let the ladies settle for themselves the first point of view which they were to sketch, under my instructions, on the afternoon …
Ch 7, para 57: “‘I have taken a violent fancy, Philip, to my new scholar, for a reason which I mean to keep till the last for the sake of surprising you. …
Time jumps are signalled by explicit phrases like 'A month or six weeks later' in chapter 20, 'Four months pass' in chapter 45, and 'Eleven o'clock' in chapter 19. The narrative also uses chapter breaks and changes of viewpoint to mark time shifts.
Chapters: Ch 19, Ch 20, Ch 29, Ch 30, Ch 45, Ch 52
A month or six weeks later I saw an extract from an American newspaper, describing the departure of the adventurers on their inland journey. (Ch 20, para 13)
Surely I heard something. Was it a bustle of footsteps below stairs? Yes! I hear the horses’ feet—I hear the rolling wheels (Ch 20, para 71)
D13. Info dump spots: long runs with no action or speech. Both
38 stretches of 900 words or more with no speech at all. These are where description, summary or backstory pile up.
| Starts at | Words | Paragraphs |
|---|---|---|
| c36p19 | 3501 | 36 |
| c49p121 | 3122 | 28 |
| c42p5 | 2413 | 24 |
| c8p1 | 2344 | 20 |
| c31p176 | 2314 | 23 |
| c21p15 | 2169 | 17 |
| c33p62 | 1963 | 19 |
| c16p81 | 1922 | 24 |
Long info dumps occur in chapters 32 to 34 where Walter summarises the conspiracy and Laura's rescue. Chapter 37 to 38 contains extended exposition as Walter questions Mrs. Clements about Anne's history. Chapter 42 has a summary of the inquest and Mrs. Catherick's letter.
Chapters: Ch 32, Ch 33, Ch 34, Ch 37, Ch 38, Ch 42
My heart beat fast—I thought I had my hand on the clue. How little I knew then of the windings of the labyrinths which were still to mislead me! (Ch 38, para 23)
D14. Reading time per chapter. Count
About 16.5 hours to read at 250 words a minute. The longest chapter takes 55.4 minutes.
Minutes per chapter, chapter by chapter
D15. Micro tension in quiet scenes. AI
Quiet scenes gain tension through unspoken emotion and observation. Chapter 8 builds tension through Walter's internal struggle with his love for Laura. Chapter 24 creates dread through a mysterious figure at the lake. Chapter 34 uses poverty and hiding to create low-level anxiety.
Chapters: Ch 8, Ch 24, Ch 34, Ch 39, Ch 44
Lulled by the Syren-song that my own heart sung to me, with eyes shut to all sight, and ears closed to all sound of danger, I drifted nearer and nearer to the fatal rocks. (Ch 8, para 11)
A living figure was moving over the waste of heath in the distance. It crossed our range of view from the boat-house, and passed darkly along the outer edge of the mist. (Ch 24, para 46)
I was wise enough, under these circumstances, not to attempt to deceive him by plausible explanations, and woman enough, notwithstanding my dread of him, to feel as if my hand was tainted by resting on his arm. (Ch 25, para 37)
D16. Section breaks per chapter. Count
5 section breaks marked in the text, in 4 of 52 chapters.
Section breaks, chapter by chapter
Ask The Woman in White a question about its craft (free beta)
Answers cite chapter and paragraph, and every quote is checked against the text. (3 free questions a day).
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