In some novels the author uses ambiguity to strengthen suspense. Robert Cormier's I Am the Cheese contains many examples of ambiguity. Adam Farmer is a teenage boy whose parents are under government protection. He and his family live a false life after his father testifies against a criminal. There are many moments in the novel where ambiguity is used. The novel is open to interpretation in some parts as Cormier is not directly clear on what he intends the reader to understand. Cormier's use of ambiguity helped strengthen the suspense by allowing the reader to interpret parts of the novel in their own way. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In I Am the Cheese, Robert Cormier uses ambiguity when Brint tries to get information from Adam during their sessions. There are many scenarios in the book where certain phrases or actions might be perceived differently depending on the reader. Cormier uses ambiguity in moments where there is a lot of suspense. When Adam talks to Brint you never know what Brint is trying to get out of Adam, which is an example of ambiguity. In the novel the author states: “Why do you always direct me down certain roads” (page 187 paragraph 9). Adam is telling Brint that he thinks Brint is ordering him to provide certain information. The reader does not know what information Brint is trying to reveal. This moment could be interpreted in many ways, which adds to the suspense. Ben Marcus of National Public Radio states, "The interrogations are relentless, administered by some chilling government organization that seems to think Adam has a secret, if his name is Adam" (page 1 paragraph 5). Throughout the novel Adam is interrogated and it is unknown what the investigators are trying to get from him. Cormier uses this tactic of ambiguity to create the feeling that the reader doesn't know what Adam might say next, or what Brint is trying to get out of him. Ambiguity is used throughout Cormier's novel, I Am the Cheese, which enhances the suspense. When Cormier talks about Adam's bike rides, he uses ambiguity to increase the suspense as the reader does not know if his bike rides are real. Throughout the book Adam takes a bike ride to Rutterburg, Vermont to visit his father. Depending on the person, you may see this bike ride as real or see it as fake. This interpretation is left up to the reader, which is an example of ambiguity. In the novel Cormier states: “I reach out and touch my father's package in the basket and continue pedaling” (page 105 paragraph 3). Adam is riding his bike and holding on to his father's package, but later in the novel you will find out that Adam would never see his father. In this part of the novel there is a lot of suspense because you don't know if Adam is actually riding a bicycle or if he is imagining everything. Melissa Rabey of YALSA states, “However, even though I knew the bike ride was a construct of Adam's mind” (page 1 paragraph 3). The author of this novel knew right away that Adam's bike ride was on his mind, but other readers may have perceived it differently, which adds to the suspense. Cormier's use of the ambiguity of the literary device helped enhance the level of suspense of Adam's bike rides. In Robert Cormier's I Am the Cheese, he uses ambiguity to increase the suspense when Adam's father is talking to Mr. Grey. At first, Adam didn't know why his father spoke to Mr. Grey. Ambiguity is used in this section of the novel because the reader does not know about/