Sherlock Holmes & The Speckled Band / Lamb To The Slaughter Essay examp

Sherlock Holmes & The Speckled Band / Lamb To The SlaughterLamb to the slaughter, by Roald Dahl, and The Speckled Band byArthur Conan Doyle share legion(predicate) features, despite the difference in erasin which they were written.Each story has its own distinctive style when cr eat both tensionand an atmosphither of suspense.The Speckled Band has a sense of urgency about it, yet manages tobuild up suspense until the climax of the story.I have reasons to know....which tend to make the matter even more thanterrible than the truth.This quote, found in the first paragraph, immediately begins creatingan atmosphere for the story, and intriguing the reader as to what thenarrator (Dr. Watson) is talking about. The reader will now want tocontinue reading to find out the truth.Doyle also uses other reference works speech to add to the tensionIt is not cold which makes me shiver...it is fear, Mr. Holmes. It is fear.At this point, the events have not been explained - this character(Miss Sto ner) describing how she is feeling inceases the tension, asthe readers do not yet know the full situation only that they shouldbe scared of whatever it is. The use of the word terror helps toemphasise the point - fear may not be strong enough, but followingit with terror helps to reinforce the situation to the reader.You must not fear...we shall soon set matters right.As Sherlock Holmes says this, it may cast a doubt over the readersmind - if a character issues a statement proclaiming that things willturn out well, there is a concept that the opposite may happeninstead. All this further adds to the need to read more, as the readerwill now want to train if Holmes is indeed correct.... ...e author here also manages to endthe story in a fitting manner, by having the investigating officerseat the murder weapon. The atmosphere and overall tone changes at theclimax - from a serious murder story to a black comedy, using thelinePersonally, I think its right here on the premises. Probabl y righthere under our very noses.The irony is that the men are being unknowingly correct - they areactually eating the leg of lamb used to kill one of their colleagues.The two stories also differ in the way they use sympathy. In TheSpeckled Band, the audience is supposed to express sympathy towardsthe victim, Helen Stoner, and is expected to be against the killer,Dr. Roylott. In Lamb To The Slaughter, it is written so that itappears the killer is actually the true victim - that she was controlto killing her husband by the man himself.