How does Steinbeck create and sustain suspense while the men are waiting for the dog to be shot?

Steinbeck creates and sustains suspense inwhen Carlson takes Candy's ancient dog
outside to put it out of its misery. After Slim gives Carlson the okay to shoot Candy's dog,
Candy reluctantly acquiesces, and Carlson grabs his Luger as he walks the old dog out of the
bunkhouse. When Carlson leaves the bunkhouse, theinside becomes intense as the men anticipate
the sound of Carlson's gun. Everybody is on edge, while Candy proceeds to stare at the ceiling
in his bunk without saying a word. Candy's silence and tranquil demeanor contribute to the
solemn atmosphere of the bunkhouse.

Both Slim andattempt to change the
subject to lighten the mood but are unable to do so. Steinbeck builds suspense by illustrating
the pervasive, oppressive silence that fills the room and continually refers to Candy's solemn
demeanor. Steinbeck writes,

The silence fell on the room
again. It came out of the night and invaded the room.

In
the midst of the oppressive silence, each man's...