Murder mysteries have a motive to start off the investigation. Murder mysteries always have detectives, murder/ killing, alibi´s, victims, weapons, evidence, a twist in a tail, a bit of suspense or maybe a lot of suspense. The location and the setting are some of main factors for a murder mysteries. If a murder mystery doesn´t contain any of these, it cannot be defined as a murder mystery.
Lamb to the Slaughter was written by Roald Dahl. It was first published in 1954. Lamb to the Slaughter is written in speech of time the story was published. In Lamb to the Slaughter the use of present day modern language so automatically gives the impression that it is written in present day modern and now. Roald Dahl is more famous for writing children´s story. Roald Dahl always writes about ordinary people who get involved in difficult situations for his stories for adults. Lamb to the Slaughter is more prominent as an adults story. This is a murder mystery and one of the two short stories that I am going to investigate.
The other short story which I will be investigating is The Speckled Band. The Speckled Band was written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It was first published in 1892. The Speckled Band is also written in speech of the time the Speckled Band was first Published. The language of that time seemed to be much formal as accurate English and much less slang was used. Holmes and Watson speak very typically English and posh. Using a language like this gives the book the atmosphere of that time. It is one of the books from the Sherlock Holmes series. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle established a tradition of detective fiction and modern detective fiction tries to continue this tradition. Sherlock Holmes is one of the most famous and popular detectives in the world. By saying Sir Arthur Conan Doyle stories are popular it does not mean they are rubbish, the opposite in fact. When Sir Arthur Conan Doyle killed off Sherlock Holmes the public was devastated to read about the death of the detective. Men in London wore black armbands as a mark of respect. It got so bad that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle even received death threats so he had to re-introduce Sherlock Holmes. This just shows how poplar, realistic and believable Sherlock Holmes stories really are.
The reason why Sherlock Holmes stories are popular is because of their enchanting and realistic characteristics and settings. The stories are very descriptive and it gives you a clear picture of what is happening in them. The settings create an entrancing and mysterious atmosphere. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle uses a formula to his stories which gives the Sherlock Holmes stories a general structure.
The two stories, the Speckled Band and the Lamb to the Slaughter are both similar as they are both murder mysteries. They both deal with difficult cases but while the murder in the Speckled Band is very cunning one as it uses eastern ideas and animals, creating an almost mystical air around the murder as it almost seems impossible to solve. While the Lamb to the Slaughter murder is brutally simple, but in this case the murder is so good the murderess gets off. In the Speckled Band we want the detective to solve the murder to tell us how it was done, while in the Lamb to the Slaughter we know how the murder was committed, and we read on to see if she gets away with it. We also have two different styles as one of them was written in the 19th Century and the other in the 20th Century. The Speckled Band starts with the reader being introduced to how many cases Dr Holmes and Watson have solved and also what sort of cases these were. These cases were not ordinary cases, they were all difficult; 'strange, but none-commonplace', so any normal cases were shunned. The first sentence is also very long; taking up eight lines, so the reader can get background all in one go, without having to refer back to anywhere. The story is retrospect, as the plot of the story has already been started. We are introduced to the case and Dr Holmes; by Dr Watson, the faithful companion to Holmes. The entire first paragraph is devoted to describing the case of Dr Grimesby Roylott of Stoke Moran The first mention we get of Holmes is when at the beginning of the second paragraph he wakes Watson up, which we find unusual as, we are told he is a late riser. At the bottom of the next page we get our first archaism of the story. These are old style words or phrases that are now no longer in use, the one we get here is 'intimate friend', in this sentence he is referring to Dr Watson, and now most people no longer say male friends are intimate. We also get the feeling that Holmes has collected a considerable amount of money for his efforts on the seventy odd cases he has solved. This is shown by the fact he is only a bachelor; but he still manages to have a maid, and he also drinks coffee which is an expensive drink; as in 1883 coffee was a recent import and so only for the upper classes. He is also respectful and a gentlemen and cares a lot for people, ' "You must not fear," he said leaning forward and patting her arm'. We then come across defray which is another archaism and means to make good or repay. We also find that Holmes finds his work rewarding, as when Miss Stoner says she can't pay yet, Holmes lets her pay when she can. The narrative then told by Miss Stoner goes on to say she was a step daughter to one of the 'oldest Saxon families in England', this family has fallen apart as has the Saxon's. Being old as well would mean they were honourable. The estate had stretched to Berkshire and Hampshire, which are both rich areas. The Dr Grimesby Roylott went to Calcutta, which was the 'jewel in the crown, of the British Empire', and soon got a prison sentence for beating a native butler to death, but as he was white, he did not get a death sentence. This shows us that he had a huge temper and was strong enough to kill someone with a beating. While in the Indies he married Mrs Stoner who had £1000 a year, which would be given to him while her daughters resided with him. So when she died shortly after they returned to England near Crewe in a railway accident, they moved in with Dr Grimesby Roylott back to his roots at Stoke Moran. While they lived with him the £1000 a year saw to all their needs. Until Doctor Grimesby Roylott changed and started throwing fits of anger, and as he was a man of immense strength he often got into brawls. It was said to be part hereditary and part from living in the tropics for so long. He had even thrown the local blacksmith over a bridge, so if he could do that to a blacksmith, normal people had no chance. He also allowed gypsies onto his land, and would disappear off with them for weeks at a time. He also had a cheetah and a baboon roaming his land, showing that he could not leave India behind. Her sister met a half-pay Major of Marines at her aunt's house, and if she were to marry him Dr Grimesby Roylott would have to pay £250 a year of his £1000. A half pay soldier is a from essaybank.co.uk private soldier who already has enough money to live, and doesn't need paying; he is an amateur soldier. On the day of the murder the weather had been bad and full of forbidding, offering perhaps some pathetic fallacy of the awful deed done that night. Then from the story being quiet and conversational it very quickly turns into a scene of action and murder. The last words of her sister were very confusing, and so puzzled everyone; which added mystery and cynicism. The next main event was when Percy Armitage asks for her hand in marriage. When this happens she is told to move to the room where her sister had died. From this point onwards the reader is very neutral, as they talk of what to do, and in a classic Sherlock Holmes way he talks of what to do and when to do it, but it will all happen because of logic. The next page is just Dr Holmes summing up and analysing all that he has been told.
Lamb to the Slaughter was written by Roald Dahl. It was first published in 1954. Lamb to the Slaughter is written in speech of time the story was published. In Lamb to the Slaughter the use of present day modern language so automatically gives the impression that it is written in present day modern and now. Roald Dahl is more famous for writing children´s story. Roald Dahl always writes about ordinary people who get involved in difficult situations for his stories for adults. Lamb to the Slaughter is more prominent as an adults story. This is a murder mystery and one of the two short stories that I am going to investigate.
The other short story which I will be investigating is The Speckled Band. The Speckled Band was written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It was first published in 1892. The Speckled Band is also written in speech of the time the Speckled Band was first Published. The language of that time seemed to be much formal as accurate English and much less slang was used. Holmes and Watson speak very typically English and posh. Using a language like this gives the book the atmosphere of that time. It is one of the books from the Sherlock Holmes series. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle established a tradition of detective fiction and modern detective fiction tries to continue this tradition. Sherlock Holmes is one of the most famous and popular detectives in the world. By saying Sir Arthur Conan Doyle stories are popular it does not mean they are rubbish, the opposite in fact. When Sir Arthur Conan Doyle killed off Sherlock Holmes the public was devastated to read about the death of the detective. Men in London wore black armbands as a mark of respect. It got so bad that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle even received death threats so he had to re-introduce Sherlock Holmes. This just shows how poplar, realistic and believable Sherlock Holmes stories really are.
The reason why Sherlock Holmes stories are popular is because of their enchanting and realistic characteristics and settings. The stories are very descriptive and it gives you a clear picture of what is happening in them. The settings create an entrancing and mysterious atmosphere. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle uses a formula to his stories which gives the Sherlock Holmes stories a general structure.
The two stories, the Speckled Band and the Lamb to the Slaughter are both similar as they are both murder mysteries. They both deal with difficult cases but while the murder in the Speckled Band is very cunning one as it uses eastern ideas and animals, creating an almost mystical air around the murder as it almost seems impossible to solve. While the Lamb to the Slaughter murder is brutally simple, but in this case the murder is so good the murderess gets off. In the Speckled Band we want the detective to solve the murder to tell us how it was done, while in the Lamb to the Slaughter we know how the murder was committed, and we read on to see if she gets away with it. We also have two different styles as one of them was written in the 19th Century and the other in the 20th Century. The Speckled Band starts with the reader being introduced to how many cases Dr Holmes and Watson have solved and also what sort of cases these were. These cases were not ordinary cases, they were all difficult; 'strange, but none-commonplace', so any normal cases were shunned. The first sentence is also very long; taking up eight lines, so the reader can get background all in one go, without having to refer back to anywhere. The story is retrospect, as the plot of the story has already been started. We are introduced to the case and Dr Holmes; by Dr Watson, the faithful companion to Holmes. The entire first paragraph is devoted to describing the case of Dr Grimesby Roylott of Stoke Moran The first mention we get of Holmes is when at the beginning of the second paragraph he wakes Watson up, which we find unusual as, we are told he is a late riser. At the bottom of the next page we get our first archaism of the story. These are old style words or phrases that are now no longer in use, the one we get here is 'intimate friend', in this sentence he is referring to Dr Watson, and now most people no longer say male friends are intimate. We also get the feeling that Holmes has collected a considerable amount of money for his efforts on the seventy odd cases he has solved. This is shown by the fact he is only a bachelor; but he still manages to have a maid, and he also drinks coffee which is an expensive drink; as in 1883 coffee was a recent import and so only for the upper classes. He is also respectful and a gentlemen and cares a lot for people, ' "You must not fear," he said leaning forward and patting her arm'. We then come across defray which is another archaism and means to make good or repay. We also find that Holmes finds his work rewarding, as when Miss Stoner says she can't pay yet, Holmes lets her pay when she can. The narrative then told by Miss Stoner goes on to say she was a step daughter to one of the 'oldest Saxon families in England', this family has fallen apart as has the Saxon's. Being old as well would mean they were honourable. The estate had stretched to Berkshire and Hampshire, which are both rich areas. The Dr Grimesby Roylott went to Calcutta, which was the 'jewel in the crown, of the British Empire', and soon got a prison sentence for beating a native butler to death, but as he was white, he did not get a death sentence. This shows us that he had a huge temper and was strong enough to kill someone with a beating. While in the Indies he married Mrs Stoner who had £1000 a year, which would be given to him while her daughters resided with him. So when she died shortly after they returned to England near Crewe in a railway accident, they moved in with Dr Grimesby Roylott back to his roots at Stoke Moran. While they lived with him the £1000 a year saw to all their needs. Until Doctor Grimesby Roylott changed and started throwing fits of anger, and as he was a man of immense strength he often got into brawls. It was said to be part hereditary and part from living in the tropics for so long. He had even thrown the local blacksmith over a bridge, so if he could do that to a blacksmith, normal people had no chance. He also allowed gypsies onto his land, and would disappear off with them for weeks at a time. He also had a cheetah and a baboon roaming his land, showing that he could not leave India behind. Her sister met a half-pay Major of Marines at her aunt's house, and if she were to marry him Dr Grimesby Roylott would have to pay £250 a year of his £1000. A half pay soldier is a from essaybank.co.uk private soldier who already has enough money to live, and doesn't need paying; he is an amateur soldier. On the day of the murder the weather had been bad and full of forbidding, offering perhaps some pathetic fallacy of the awful deed done that night. Then from the story being quiet and conversational it very quickly turns into a scene of action and murder. The last words of her sister were very confusing, and so puzzled everyone; which added mystery and cynicism. The next main event was when Percy Armitage asks for her hand in marriage. When this happens she is told to move to the room where her sister had died. From this point onwards the reader is very neutral, as they talk of what to do, and in a classic Sherlock Holmes way he talks of what to do and when to do it, but it will all happen because of logic. The next page is just Dr Holmes summing up and analysing all that he has been told.
