The Speckled Band Essay Example

The Speckled Band Essay Read ‘The Speckled Band’ by A. Conan. Doyle and ‘The Monkey’s Paw’ by W. W. Jacobs. Discuss how the authors create tension and discuss the devices Used to mislead the reader.  Ã¢â‚¬ËœThe Speckled Band’ by A. Conan. Doyle and ‘The Monkey’s Paw’ by W. W. Jacobs are two very different stories; ‘The Speckled Band’ follows the ‘murder mystery’ line whereas ‘The Monkey’s Paw’ is based more around horror genre. This means that they will create tension and mislead the reader in completely different ways. In this essay I am going to explore how the two authors do this, and compare their methods for doing so. Arthur Conan Doyle creates tension in many ways. At the beginning of ‘The Speckled Band’, he creates tension by showing the effects of this dreadful crime on the characters. We are told Sherlock is usually a ‘late riser’, however, because of this new case, his routine was broken because at a quarter-past seven, Watson awakes to find Sherlock Holmes, fully dressed, standing by the side of his bed. Helen Stoner, the client who sought Holmes’ services as a detective, when speaking to Sherlock and Watson, was shivering, not from the cold as one would first assume, but from fear. The way she says â€Å"It is not cold which makes me shiver. It is fear, Mr. Holmes. It is terror,† creates tension because she first says what does not make her shiver as if holding off telling them, and then, using short sentences, she repeats the two words, ‘it is’. These two events evoke tension because these events are directly linked to this one case whic h at this point, we still do not know about. We will write a custom essay sample on The Speckled Band specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Speckled Band specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Speckled Band specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The location of this suspicious death, the austere house of Stake Moran which â€Å"was of grey, lichen-blotched stone, with a high central portion and two curving wings, like the claws of a crab.† Only three people live in this spooky house. It seems rather odd that in this grand manor house only three people live. Everyone can empathise with the fact that being alone in a large house is incredibly scary, so, you feel scared for these three people, and this then creates tension. The mysterious Dr. Roylott, having spent a lot of time in India, lets a cheetah and a baboon roam the house. This strange assortment of animals creates tension as it seems strange that such a vicious animal (the cheetah) would be allowed to roam the house. And on top of this all the rooms are barred, â€Å"the windows were blocked by old-fashioned shutters with broad iron bars. The chimney is wide, but is barred up by four large staples. This creates tension and portrays the rooms as cells, trapping them. It is a sinister thought that these three people are trapped within this house which has a cheetah and a baboon roaming around. Arthur Doyle creates tension by using scary and sinister adjectives, such as â€Å"a long drawn catlike whine† or â€Å"there darted what seemed to be a hideous and distorted child, who threw itself upon the grass with writhing limbs. On the night of Julia’s death, the weather was wild, â€Å"the wind was howling outside, and the rain was beating and splashing against the windows†. The adjectives used in this description of the weather creates the most horrific images and evokes tension because you can just imagine how scared they must be, locked up in this macabre house. In ‘The Monkey’s Paw’ there are only 4 main characters; the mother and father who live in their isolated house with their son, and a sergeant-major. This is a major difference as characters play a huge role in ‘The Speckled Band’.  William Jacobs creates tension by using sinister images, and sudden actions. Just like in â€Å"The Speckled Band†, the weather plays a huge part in the tone of the particular part of the novel and the tension created. This story starts off with the father and the son playing chess. This in itself evokes tension because we hear of the disastrous weather, â€Å"The night was cold and wet. Path’s a bog, and the road’s a torrent,† and yet these two characters are calmly playing chess, ignoring the sombre weather. He also creates tension by using sudden actions and short sentences. For instance, tension is immediately created when Sergeant Morris came out of the night into the house, his ‘heavy footsteps came toward the door, as the gate banged to loudly’. This gives him a mysterious aura  Short sentences also add to the tension of the story, â€Å"The paw!† she cried wildly. â€Å"The monkey’s paw!†. Not only adding tension, this then reminds us of Julia’s dying words in ‘The Speckled Band’, â€Å"It was the band! The speckled band!† It is interesting that in both the stories, the mystery in each is completely based on the title. The author also uses portent to hint what is going to happen. â€Å"[Herbert] sat alone in the darkness, gazing at the dying fire, and seeing faces in it. The last face was so horrible and so simian that he gazed at it in amazement. His hand grasped the monkey’s paw, and with a little shiver he wiped his hand on his coat†. This could be hinting to the bad things that are going to happen to him. These sinister faces create tension and adds to the mysterious air surrounding the paw. Another possible hint to the bad things ahead is that when the sergeant was describing the paw, he said,â€Å" It had a spell put on it by an old fakir. He wanted to show that fate ruled people’s lives, and that those who interfered with it did so to their sorrow†. This last sentence was a possible sign for the terrible events ahead. The Speckled Band Essay Example The Speckled Band Paper During his time in Calcutta, exotic animals, particular species being sent to Stoke Moran, fascinated Dr Roylott. For the duration of Holmes investigation, a cheetah and baboon roam around the Manor House. Dr Roylott also allows Gypsies to wander freely over his grounds. Both these factors create tension for the reader, encouraging them to read more of this mystery. The reader is intrigued to discover if the cheetah, baboon and gypsies have a part to play in Helen Stoners horror, and also the murder of her twin sister. And if so, then what it was they did. The reader is also captivated by the description of Dr Roylott, when he meets with Sherlock Holmes. A huge man is illustrated to the reader, with a hunting crop swinging in his hand and a resemblance to a fierce old bird of prey. Together, these create tension between Dr Roylott and the reader. The link to a predator suggests he is strong, and aggressive. With the description of him including the hunting crop and the bird of prey, the image of Dr Roylott is of a hunting, un-human like man, of a dark, mysterious past. The mystery is discovered in the picture of ruin, Stoke Moran, located in Surrey. We will write a custom essay sample on The Speckled Band specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Speckled Band specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Speckled Band specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The manor house is portrayed as a suspicious, dark, threatening house, by the use of Conan Doyles simile two curving wings like those of a crab. Crabs claws are strong and they have the potential to harm. Therefore the simile used implies that Stoke Moran is a dubious, shady house, situated in the middle of nowhere, with darkness surrounding it. The late at night and early morning setting of the discovery of the secret, adds to the suspense for the reader. All was dark in the direction of the Manor House. Through the darkness, things can come out of hidden places and alarm people in the area. For example, while Sherlock Holmes and Watson are walking on Manor House grounds, a hideous and distorted child surprises them, and the reader, by jolting out of the bushes. The reader is intrigued to find out what this distorted child is, and within a few minutes of meeting this creature, the reader is reminded that roaming the ground is a Baboon. Conan Doyles technique of using darkness throughout The Speckled Band creates tension, and this appears to the readers senses. The imagery of the distorted child affects the readers sight, as they become more aware of their surroundings. The cat-like whine appears the readers sound sense, as the reader can hear things, but they cannot see them, and this would make the reader nervous. Therefore they are encouraged to read further on. The things, such as chill wind, affect the readers touch sense. The blustery weather builds more suspense as it implies the image of a cold, dark, windy night. Almost as though something bad is about to happen. All of the senses are appealed to, and therefore the readers are able to feel more involved and believe they are included in the mystery. The Speckled Band Essay Example The Speckled Band Paper The similarities of Lamb to the Slaughter and The Speckled Band are evident throughout both stories, although some are found deep beneath the surface, hidden well by their authors, but delve deep into the worlds of Mary Maloney and Sherlock Holmes and the answers are provided, clear as day. The characters in both Lamb to the slaughter and The speckled band are portrayed by the authors of each story respectively as, in Mary Maloneys case in Lamb to the slaughter as an easy target, a very passive woman and in actual fact this is far from the actual truth, as she is a murderer. Whilst The speckled band plays centre stage for Sherlock Holmes, who acts out his role of typical detective with the trademark pipe, cap and magnifying glass props included (although Holmes is excused as this stereotype is one he helped build). Its these stereotypes that build the structure of the short stories, Maloneys of shock and disbelief over what she is capable of doing and covering up, this shows a character immensely diverse from the readers first impression of Mrs Maloney; Her skin for this was her sixth month with child had acquired a wonderful translucent quality, the mouth was soft, and the eyes, with their new placid look, seemed larger, darker than before. This backs up Maloneys first impression of being the ironic typical victim of the story, the emphasis on the size of Marys eyes show innocence and a sense of being nai ve on the soon-to-be widow. Holmes not only helps along the idea of being a typical detective by appearance alone, his actions, observations and language fuels this also. We will write a custom essay sample on The Speckled Band specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Speckled Band specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Speckled Band specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer He picks up on the slightest of clues and possibilities of the case, giving an accurate prediction early on in the story, backing up and adding depth to the Sherlock Holmes character. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle does this well and successfully makes the famous detective shine. I had come to an entirely erroneous conclusion, which shows, my dear Watson, how dangerous it always is to reason from insufficient data. This quotation is echoed from Sherlocks conclusion of the case, once solved, as always Holmes simplified and explained how he arrived at yet another infamous Sherlock Holmes victory, not only for Watson, but for the reader. Note the intellectual language used by Holmes. This is not a show. It is how he truly speaks, this aswell as the reference to unimaginable leads from the beginning of the story, which aided Holmes in solving the case, shows what a sharp and educated man he really is, along with his ability to deal with the venomous snake who appeared in the story, showing courage and strength. This gives Holmes the rightfully acquired typical detective stereotype adopted by him in The Speckled Band. The settings in both Lamb to the slaughter and The Speckled Band play a major role of significance to both stories respectively. Lamb to the slaughters setting gives a sense of warmth and security, a homely background with Mary Maloney and husband at the forefront. This setting adds to the emotions felt when the unexpected murder occurs, from one extreme to the next. At first the radiant mother-to-be is awaiting the arrival of her loving husband then shifts to the desperate cover up of his death and deceit of the investigating police. It really does make the story that much better, in that it plays with your emotions and puts that unpredictable spin on Mary Maloneys character.

japanese recession essays

japanese recession essays Thomas Paine For many years Thomas Paine was the epitome of American histories greatest drawback. In American history there is always that one detail that doesnt make it into popular curriculum. Whether it be the point of view from the loosing side of a war, to the secret dalliances of a popular politician, to the truth of a times social opinion- the American student is taught only so much. The most proper, popular material makes it in; along with any major facts too commonly known to ignore. Anything else is liable to fall to the wayside without enough support from historians or academia. There is always room for the improvement of materials taught; so said, it would seem there is much more to know about Thomas Paine then is currently taught. Within the last twenty years there has been a resurgence of interest in both Thomas Paine and his work. The new social consciousness is more in tune with his writings, and his underdog status appeals to many. His blunt style of speech has earne d him admiration in many corners; in fact one of President Ronald Regans more clever speech writers took to adding exerpts from Paines writings into the Presidents major addresses. Paine has lately been heralded as Americas first modern intellectual, and is the subject of numerous books which have come out within the last four years. Common knowledge of Paine includes his birth in 1737 in Thetford, England, his writing of the Common Sense pamphlet in 1776, and his involvement in the American Revolution. Less common knowledge is his other writings: The Crisis, Rights of War and The Age of Reason; along with his role in the French Revolution. Even further down the path into the obscure is his brief French citizenship, his time in a French prison, and the short period of fourteen months which elapsed between his arrival in the Americas, and the publication of Common Sense. Paine is nothing if not the son of both perse...

Replacing Core Banking for ADIB Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 13000 words

Replacing Core Banking for ADIB - Dissertation Example This has been done in the dissertation through a focus on competitive advantage and knowledge management tools, which may be used in order to understand the needs of a globally changing environment within which the banking industry thrives today. The SOA, on the basis of the model put forth, can undergo further research so as to be revolutionized as a more need sensitive solution to various core banking needs. Apart from this, there is a vast scope for research into greater employee motivation as well as consumer satisfaction, both of which can come to herald banks as brands in themselves. As a service oriented field, the banking sector and the ADIB bank in particular can benefit greatly from such research. Literature Review This chapter reviews the literature that is being used as regards Core Banking Solutions. In order to do this, the researcher has made use of the previously available work also known as secondary research on the subject along the following technicalities: Relevance to subject Logical flow of information In context of research methodology and overall problem of the dissertation. To begin with, it is imperative to understand the meaning and importance of a literature review to any dissertation. A piece of research is incomplete without adherence to the work previously conducted on the subject. A researcher cannot move forward or find a fitting basis for research unless he or she regards the work of scholars who have dabbled in the field previously. Yet, in today's age of information and knowledge, it may be seen that it has become more important than ever to keep an eye on including literature that pertains directly to the analysis and findings of the subject... This chapter reviews the literature that is being used as regards Core Banking Solutions. In order to do this, the researcher has made use of the previously available work also known as secondary research on the subject along the following technicalities: - Relevance to subject - Logical flow of information - In context of research methodology and overall problem of the dissertation. To begin with, it is imperative to understand the meaning and importance of a literature review to any dissertation. A piece of research is incomplete without adherence to the work previously conducted on the subject. A researcher cannot move forward or find a fitting basis for research unless he or she regards the work of scholars who have dabbled in the field previously. Yet, in today’s age of information and knowledge, it may be seen that it has become more important than ever to keep an eye on including literature that pertains directly to the analysis and findings of the subject at hand. This is where a review of the literature comes in as it helps the researcher look at the use of literature gathered in a critical manner. According to Cooper (1988) "a literature review uses as its database reports of primary or original scholarship, and does not report new primary scholarship itself. The primary reports used in the literature may be verbal, but in the vast majority of ca ses reports are written documents. The types of scholarship may be empirical, theoretical, critical/analytic, or methodological in nature."

Inflation and Deflation in the Czech Republic since 1998 Essay

Inflation and Deflation in the Czech Republic since 1998 - Essay Example Czechoslovak was famous for export industries, especially automotive ones then. But the major policy change stopped the export growth of the state. Even though the following governments tried some measures to keep economy strong, nothing could help. The Communist Regime allowed only state owned enterprises and state lead economic planning. It relied more on artificial pricing of commodities. No political, cultural or economic liberalization was allowed. Year after year the situation became worse only and it led to a total tragedy within a few decades. By 1980s, Czechoslovakia started facing deep crisis and people started protesting. In the initial days the protests were not so strong and the Government tried to suppress it. But it was not possible. Protests gathered momentum and by 1989 the Communist Government resigned. It was followed by democratic election which was the beginning of a new era as far as the history of Czechoslovakia is concerned. The major policy change in USSR allowing liberalization at to a limited extent and the weakening of power of Communists in neighboring states like East Germany and Poland also influenced the developments which led to the situation of Communists loosing power in Czechoslovakia. In the elections conducted in 1990, Vclav Havel got elected as President. The new Government formed under his leadership decided anyway to march away from the track of Communism. Policy was framed to strengthen economy following the footsteps of the already developed economies. Free market and privatization were introduced in the state for the first time. This change could create some positive signs in economy. Both Czech and Slovakia got independent prime ministers according to federal structure and later they decided to part and remain two separate independent states. Thus on 1993 January First Czech became a sovereign republic. Soon the state started making remarkable growth in its economy. But unfortunately good days didn't last long. By 1997 Prime Minister was ousted from power and this political stability along with other issues took the state to a deep economic crisis. The speculative attack on Koruna in May 1997 stopped the growth signs of economy. This made the Czech econom y 'stagflant' which led to major issues like loss of employment, lesser production, acceleration of deflation, etc. But the political leadership continued the attempt to lead the state to prosperity. They made a shift in the nature of foreign trading. More concentration was put in trade with the Western countries whereas it was towards the East earlier. For creating enough fund for various activities, Czech relied on international funding agencies. They could successfully manage to get both grants and loans from institutions like World Ban, International Monetary Fund, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European Investment Bank, etc. External debt in 1999 was about 24.3 billion Dollars. Since major share of this loan amount was used for nothing but building up the nation's economy itself, indirectly the loan burden was supporting the prosperity of the state. The fact that Czech could repay some loans before schedule makes it undoubtedly clear that the policy change was going in the right direction. In 1999 inflation was very less, average rate being 2.1 % only. The significant fall in inflation cannot be seen just as the after effect of internal policies or situation alone. The deflation in other

Peter Paul and Mary - Blowin in the Wind Essay Example for Free

Peter Paul and Mary Blowin in the Wind Essay Peter, Paul, and Marys â€Å"Blowin in the Wind† is actually quite appealing to a mainstream audience, due to the simple arrangement and catchy hook. The accompaniment is easy to follow and understand, which makes it accessible to listeners that do not necessarily have a music education. Also, the tight vocal harmonies between two men and one woman are very interesting, because that sort of setting is not typical for popular music fare. Also, for being a folk song, the twang or accent is very subdued, which would possibly turn off some listeners who might be averse to folk tunes. Theres a good deal of vocal inflection in Marys voice, which pulls on the listener emotionally. For someone who does not particularly prefer folk music, the song is actually quite pleasant, and the strong lyrical content is definitely worth a second glance. Conversely, Bob Dylans version is more spoken, and contains a more rubato vocal performance. Also, the inclusion of the harmonica heightens the folk quality to the song. Moreover, Bob Dylans diction is much more â€Å"country,† with hard â€Å"Rs,† â€Å"jist† in the place of just, and â€Å"yesn† in the place of yes. Those minor shifts create a rustic feeling, where Peter, Paul, and Marys diction was more refined, for the folk style. These two different takes on one song make a lasting difference, in terms of the presentation of the material. Peter, Paul, and Marys version of the single sold a phenomenal three hundred thousand copies in the first week of release. So, perhaps it is safe to say that folk songs can be popular, they just have to be presented in such a way that appeals to a wide audience, while still staying true to the roots. It is not an easy task to fulfill, but Peter, Paul and Mary have proved that it can be accomplished.

Modems :: essays research papers

Modems Modems are used to connect two computers over a phone line. Modem is short for Modulator Demodulator. It's a device that converts data from digital computer signals to analog signals that can be sent over a phone line. This is called modulation. The analog signals are then converted back into digital data by the receiving modem. This is called demodulation. A modem is fed digital information, in the form of ones and zeros, from the CPU. The modem then analyzes this information and converts it to analog signals, that can be sent over a phone line. Another modem then receives these signals, converts them back into digital data, and sends the data to the receiving CPU. At connection time, modems send tones to each other to negotiate the fastest mutually supported modulation method that will work over whatever quality line has been established for that call. There are two main differences in the types of modems for PC, internal and external modems. Evolution of Modems In the last 10 years, modem users have gone from data transfer rates of 300bps to 1,200 bps to 2,400 bps to 9,600 bps to 14.4Kbps to 28.8Kbps to, and to 33.6Kbps. Now new modem standards are emerging, reaching speeds of up to 56Kbps. Unlike the 33.6Kbps modems being sold today, 56Kbps is a significant improvement over 28.8Kbps modems. Viewing complex graphics or downloading sound files improves significantly with 56Kbps. The modem experts keep telling us that we are about maxed out. For instance when the 28.8 modems where first introduced they said that we've reached our maximum speed, and the same thing was said about the 33.6 and now again for the 56K, but how true is this? The experts say that the next major improvement will have to come from the telephone companies, when they start laying down fibber-optic cables so we can have integrated services digital network (ISDN) . The thing that makes digital modems better than analog is because with analog modem transmission errors are very frequent which results in your modem freezing or just freaking out. These errors are caused mainly by some kind of noise on the line due to lightning storms, sunspots, and other fascinating electromagnetic phenomena, noise occurs anywhere on the line between your PC and the computer you're communicating with 2,000 miles away. Even if line noise is minimal, most modems will automatically reduce it's speed to avoid introducing data errors. Baud vs bps While taking about modems, the transmission speed is the source of a lot of confusion. The root of the problem is the fact that the terms "baud" and

The Renaissance as a Distinct Period of Time

The Renaissance as a Distinct Period of Time The Middle Ages was a time in history where everyone was faithful to religion as well as others. Also, in the Middle Ages, people were encouraged to always try their best; they were encouraged to fight for the highest achievement possible and to never give up. The Renaissance, however, was more focused on becoming matured and finding a way to be successful at everything one does. During this era, people fought to become all-sided men, also known as; renaissance men.This means they are not only successful in one type of art but in all types of art, as well as math, science, and literature. The Renaissance was a distinct period in time that was separated from the Middle Ages and began a new era. The writers and thinkers of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries believed that they took part in a completely different era than the Middle Ages. They believed that they were part of a more modern and current era known as the Renaissance. These peop le considered the Renaissance to be a new beginning of the Middle Ages (Ferguson Doc. 1).Renaissance means †rebirth† in french, which means is a whole new period of time. The art and literature of the Renaissance offered a â€Å"rebirth† of hope, and interest in life and how it was represented. During the Renaissance, religion was seen through a new perspective, the renaissance men found the scientific answers that were against the church heresies. Kepler, an astronomer, used observation and mathematics to prove his thesis. He did not accept what he was told by the church or the ancients. Instead, he proved his theories (Document 7). People were expanding their horizons, art and science was in full splendor.The philosophy of humanism also came about. The middle ages areknown for being limited in their artistic ideas because humans weren't supposed to practice many hobbies of the flesh. The renaissance men wanted to be unique, to stand out, to be different and make an impression on others. Da Vinci, a complex man of the renaissance was interested in anatomy and the realistic portrayal of the human body. He was the ideal man of the renaissance due to his many talents and interests (document 6). During the renaissance, protestantism came about and their churches were much more simplistic.Although catholic and orthodox churches were still stereotypically adorned heavily. The renaissance men were interested and concerned with things of this world, unlike believers, and leaders of the church, who were concerned about heaven. Burchhardt identified a difference between the medieval man, who was controlled by faith throughout his life, and the renaissance man, who fought for the highest individual development (Document 2). The beginning of the Renaissance in the mid-fourteenth century was marked by a turn from medieval life and values dominated by the Church toward the philosophical principles of humanism.The Renaissance was a distinct period in time that was separated from the Middle Ages and began a new era. It was during this time that literacy started to become more widespread and that art really started to take form. Paintings became more realistic, and elements created by the Greeks and the Romans were brought back into paintings; society began to organize itself in a similar way to how it works today. Knowledge and writings that were common to the Greeks and Romans that had lost their importance to the Europeans during the Middle Ages were restored in the Renaissance.