  Cognitive psychologists Ortony, Clore, and Collins put forth a useful theory of suspense that we might call the standard account. They  argue that suspense is composed of fear, hope, and the “cognitive  state of uncertainty” (131). They define fear as a feeling of  displeasure about the prospect of an undesirable event; and hope as a feeling of pleasure about the prospect of a desirable event. On the  standard account, people feel suspense when they fear a bad outcome,  hope for a good outcome, and are uncertain about which outcome will  come to pass. In real life, we might feel suspense when walking  through an unfamiliar, reputedly dangerous neighborhood at night. We  fear that we might be mugged, hope that we will be safe, and are  uncertain which will occur. 