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Analysing sherlock holmes novels
Analysing sherlock holmes novels
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Examine the settings which Arthur Conan Doyle has chosen for his
stories in The Speckled Band and The Man with the Twisted Lip.
Consider the effects the writer has created and how they contribute
to the atmosphere.
Arthur Conan Doyle's character, Sherlock Holmes, lived in Victorian
London during the 19th century. His perception of the streets is
portrayed as a dark and isolated environment. The atmosphere was far
from welcoming. The streets were overrun with crime, beggars and
prostitutes. Through the dense smog, the gas lamps provided feeble
lighting which flickered as passer-bys walked on their way. The odour
which drifted through the air was vile. This was the result of no
sewage system and low levels of hygiene.
In 'The Man with the Twisted Lip', Arthur Conan Doyle begins by
describing the home of Watson which is conveyed as a warm, welcoming
safe-haven. The Watsons are portrayed as a secure and predictable
couple. Their sitting room, described as "cheery", shows the reader
that it is a place where all is cosy and peaceful. The reader is shown
that Watson is comfortable with the setting of his own home:
"sat up in my chair"
The use of the word 'my' gives the sense of belonging and ownership to
Watson. It also shows he has a stable retreat after returning from
work. A symbolic simile is used to describe how approachable Watson's
wife is:
"like birds to a lighthouse."
Light symbolizes tranquility and the reader may be given the idea that
Watson's wife promotes this. It also adds to the whole ambience of
peacefulness. The St.Clair's home is portrayed in a similar way, and
Mrs. St Clair emerges in a "flood of light", which conveys purity and
a serene habitat.
In contrast A.C. Doyle cre...
... middle of paper ...
... prepared for something catastrophic to
happen. Holmes and Watson are struck by the,
"sweet promise of the spring"
The 'sweet promise' is a symbolism of new life and rejuvenation.
However this is contrasted by the "sinister quest" which they embark
upon. Also described by Conan Doyle as a "strange contrast".
There are significant contrasts between the settings in both stories.
A.C Doyle has created an effect by using themes such as light to
symbolize goodness, hope, or peace. In contrast he uses darkness as a
connotation of hell or evil. These effects that the writer has
created, contribute to the atmosphere by adding tension and suspense.
For example, when he refers to dark settings they are usually ominous
signs. From these signs, the reader can gather that something dramatic
is soon to happen. The techniques used make both stories
unpredictable.
“A vast silence reigned over the land. The land itself was a desolation, lifeless, without
Comparing the Portrayals of the Villains from Tell-Tale Heart and The Speckled Band The two villains in “Tell-Tail Heart” and “The Speckled Band” both have similarities and differences in their portrayals of murder, conveyed in the stories. They have disparities between motives and methods of murder, although there is a resemblance in the masterminds of murder. The villain in “The Speckled Band”, Dr. Grimsby Roylott was married to Mrs. Stoner in India who is prosperous with her wealth, but she had died in a train crash and bequeathed the sum of £1000 to Dr. Roylott. This money was enough to fulfil the family’s needs as they moved into an old ancestral house in Stoke Moran.
for the reader of the town and residents of this town on a normal summer morning.
... in that barren hall with its naked stair... rising into the dim upper hallway where an echo spoke which was not mine ut rather that of the lost irrevocable might-have-been which haunts all houses, all enclosed walls erected by human hands, not for shelter, not for warmth, but to hide from the world's curious looking and seeing the dark turnings which the ancient young delusions of pride and hope and ambition (ay, and love too) take.
Then a description of the education of one's heritage and the culture becomes somewhat overwhelming. The culture and passion of the people are so great she describes it almost like an ocean current that is warm and strong that flows within the people and seems to just pull you in.
The part where is says “part of you heart” which is a physical object commonly used to describe “feelings” or “emotions” that usually falls under the category of love. Not only does the author use emotions to allow the readers to connect but also an object that the readers can physically visualize to create that connection. There were also other elements that triggered emotions that people can relate to such “home” and “knowing”. Knowledge is something that everyone has, but specifically in this quote the knowledge was of one’s emotions for the people who has made any sort of impact in their life. Knowing their presence used to be there or is still there creates a totally different attitude and emotion for that place, compared to if one did not know anyone there. Also being able to have that homeliness feeling is a strong emotion that helps the readers know how deep these bonds are with the people in their lives. These are all the things that many have felt in their lifetime. So it was very easy for an author to capture a reader’s emotion using pathos in the
well. It is a dark and secret place, a place which actually controlls matters of life,
days . and thee you will see no more,"He is saying that it will be very peaceful
	A place of eternal happiness, so it seems. Though looks can be decieving, we have
Upon reading the first paragraph, Shirley Jackson describes the town in general. The town is first mentioned in the opening paragraph where she sets the location in the town square. She puts in perspective the location of the square "between the post office and the bank" (196). This visualizes for the reader what a small town this is, since everything seems to be centralized at or near the town square. This is also key in that the town square is the location for the remaining part of the story. The town square is an important location for the setting since the ending of the story will be set in this location. Also, Shirley Jackson creates a comfortable atmosphere while describing the residents of the town. First, she describes the children gathering together and breaking into "boisterous play"(196). Also, the children are described as gathering rocks, which is an action of many normal children. She described the men as gathering together and talking about "planting and rain, tractors and taxes"(196). Finally, she describes the women of this community as "exchanging bits of gossip"(196) which is a common stereotype of women. She creates a mood for the reader of the town and residents of this town on a normal summer morning.
He talks about Turkey, which is ‘changeless and harsh . . . a landscape of unheeding devastation’ that becomes ‘bigger, drier, emptier with repetition . . . [the hills] so sunlit and empty they made my eyes ache’ (p. 51, 53, 114). Towards the last hours of the journey he describes the place as ‘brown, flat, and treeless, the grimmest landscape I had ever laid eyes on, like an immense beach of frozen dirt washed by an oily black sea’(p. 307-8). Though an outsider, new to the terrain, he doesn’t abstain from passing critical judgements on the distanced landscape. His prejudice has earned him much
...see it as not their home, but rather their "grave; where nothing, But who knows nothing, is once seen to smile; Where sighs and groans and shrieks that rend fill the air" (Shakespeare 4.3.185-187). The country is being compared to a cemetery shrouded in darkness; therefore, one can assume that it is not a pleasant place to live.
heaven, a kingdom of God, for those who have faith in God. This helps believers
...ter place. It should be recognized that the progress of a society solely does not depend on the prosperity or fortunate chances of just one individual; it is based entirely on the whole population. By seeing that we have a moral obligation to help human beings wherever they are, we are improving the living conditions for all.