The Speckled Band Essay Example for Free

The Speckled Band Essay Physically, he is described as having a huge stature and a face marked with every kind of evil passion. He is a typical villain and a bully, who, as in all classic murder mysteries, comes to the nasty end, which he undoubtedly deserves. There are many other ways in which The Speckled Band is a perfect illustration of this genre. The character of Sherlock Holmes is very clever and logical, an imaginative genius. Like a classic detective, he is observant and thorough and has incredible powers of deduction. When the murdered womans sister, Helen Stoner, arrives to meet Holmes, he concludes simply from looking at a few splatters of mud on her left sleeve that she has come by dog cart, as well as train. Miss Stoner is taken aback by this observation yet cant help being impressed by the mans calm self-confidence. Throughout the story we never see Holmes suffer from fright, suggesting he is adventurous and courageous in his investigations. This is very typical as it adds suspense for the reader who never knows what frightful situations the great detective may find himself in. He is cultured and lives the life of a gentleman and bachelor; this is expressed in his elegant and precise speech. As far as we know, Sherlock Holmes shares no emotional ties and lives alone, satisfied with a life of wealth and solving crimes. We see from the way in which he doesnt ask Miss Stoner for a fee, other than expenses, that money is not the reason he has chosen this lifestyle. He shows great passion and commitment to his work, another classic trait of the murder mystery detective. As to reward, my profession is its own reward. He is also physically strong, as illustrated when he bends the poker stick back to its original position and remarks, I am not so bulky, but if he had remained I might have shown him that my grip was not much more feeble than his own. This kind of strength may not be so evident in modern-day detectives. Holmes is courteous and well mannered, even when being rude to his enemies. His speech is always very articulate, as in the scene where Dr Roylott visits his flat to give an aggressive warning, and Sherlock Holmes simply replies, Your conversation is most entertaining When you go out close the door, for there is a decided draught. Conan Doyles detective has become a prototype for classic murder mystery stories, someone whom readers can respect and admire. As already mentioned, much of the atmosphere of a murder mystery derives from how the writer sets the scene and describes the physical nature of the setting. The Speckled Band is certainly a good example of this. On the night of Julias murder the wind was howling outside and the rain was beating and splashing against the windows. This intensifies the mood already created by Miss Stoners early description of the old manor house with only one inhabited wing. This early impression of the Stoners ancestral house at Stoke Maron is reinforced when Holmes and Watson arrive at the mansion. The suspense builds up as it is gradually conveyed. Our first impression, from a distance, is of a heavily timbered park stretched up in a gentle slope, thickening into a grove at the highest point. From amid the branches there jutted out the gray gables and high roof-tree of a very old mansion. It is only on approaching the building of gray litchen-blotched stone and two curving wings, like the claws of a crab, that we become aware of its sinister nature. This helps to create tension. The picture of ruin described by Conan-Doyle supports the notion of Julias murder. The menacing images suggest there are more horrors to come. As the two enter the scene of the crime/bedroom that night, Holmes whispers gently into Watsons ear that the least sound would be fatal to their plans and they must sit awake in the darkened bedroom, or their lives may depend on it. We are then taken through the long hours in the absolute darkness, listening to every sound that echoes in the night, until the pitch black is suddenly sliced by a momentary gleam of light. At the same time there is a smell of burning and the silence is broken by a gentle hissing sound. Like the famous detective and his companion, all our senses are alert as we brace ourselves for some ghastly revelation. We are further held on tenterhooks by Holmess face, deadly pale and filled with horror and loathing, as he lashes out at some invisible foe. This is followed by a blood-curdling cry that carried all the way to the village, raised sleepers from their beds and struck cold in their hearts. Like all classic murder mysteries, the story has reached a thrilling climax, to be followed by the detectives explanation of events, here learned from the account that Holmes gives to Watson. The detective runs through the case, pointing to where he at first went wrong before demonstrating his remarkable powers of deduction. For example, he initially came to an entirely erroneous conclusion, showing how dangerous it always is to reason from insufficient data. This is followed by a detailed description of what actually happened. As classic detective, Holmes leaves the reader impressed by his skills and surprised by the truth that is eventually revealed. LUCIA REED Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Arthur Conan Doyle section.