The manor house is the main setting for The Speckled Band, the deterioration of it reflects the deterioration of Miss Stoner. The manor house is “very old, and only one wing is now inhabited”. The emptiness of the house gives the same feeling as the emptiness of the moors. A section of the house is described as “two curving wings, like the claws of a crab”, crabs can be seen as frightening creatures and this is creating a scary atmosphere. The paragraph continues to describe the Manor house, “the windows were broken and blocked with wooden boards, while the roof was partly caved in, a picture of ruin”. This shows the wreck that the house is in and reflects the wreck Miss Stoner is in.
Conan Doyle uses the type of environment in Sherlock Holmes novels as a tool to assist the emotion that should be felt or is felt by one of the characters (this is called pathetic fallacy). I think that this technique is very effective. With modern detective fiction the same technique is used, often when a murder is taking place it is dark, raining or in an unnerving place. For example on programs such as CSI and Midsomer Murders there is always a dark setting when a crime takes place.
Another key component of detective fictions is clues and red herrings. Red herrings are false clues that lead the reader to believe something that is not correct. For example in Silver Blaze the cravat that Straker had in his hand was a red herring as was the knife in his hand and the gash on his thigh. These facts can make the reader think that whoever the cravat belonged to played a part in the crime and maybe attacked him with a knife. It turned out that Fitzroy Simpson, the owner of the cravat was not involved in the crime.
In the Red-Headed league the main clue was why Jabez Wilson, a man owning a pawnbrokers shop connected to a bank would be wanted working away from it for four hours a day. This clue led Sherlock Holmes to the result but may not have been as obvious to the reader.
In the Speckled band there were many clues such as the “charred stump of a match” in Julia’s right hand and a match-box in her left. This meant that Julia looked about when the alarm took place. Also the whistling at the dead of the night is a very unclear clue or a red herring; it could have led the reader to believe that the whistling was caused by the roaming gypsies.
Conan Doyle uses clues to get the reader involved and feel part of the story, also the reader would feel satisfaction from solving a case, and feel as though he is like Holmes rather than Watson. The clues are not too obvious so that the reader feels like he/she is being challenged, if the crime is obvious then the reader won’t feel as though he/she’s achieved anything therefore won’t have enjoyed the story. The same method is used in modern detective fictions and is one of the most important elements of a detective fiction.
An additional key component of detective fiction is ‘how the crime was done’ not just who did it. Conan Doyle focuses on this far more than who did it and this is a part of why The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes are so successful. Also there are far more murders in present day detective fiction. Only 38% of Sherlock Holmes stories contain murders. I think that Conan Doyle focuses on how the crime was done more because the Victorians were very interested in the science of crimes. In Sherlock Holmes the crimes have usually already happened, The Red-Headed League is an exception but the majority of Sherlock Holmes focuses on how Holmes and Watson are going to solve it.
Also another component of detective fiction is the clever criminal. Popular detective fictions usually involve a clever criminal and in Sherlock Holmes this is very popular because Holmes likes to be challenged and only picks the “singular” cases. Silver Blaze is not an exception in this because Straker was the one that was committing the crime not the horse. In the Speckled Band Sherlock Holmes says, “My profession is its own reward”. This gives the impression that Holmes enjoys the challenge of an unusual case. An unusual case usually requires a clever criminal therefore is an important aspect of Sherlock Holmes and all detective fictions. In addition, if the main character is not enthusiastic about his work then the reader will not be interested in reading the stories. I think that the passion of Sherlock Holmes gives the reader a passion to read the stories.
Another component of detective fiction that I will talk about is how the main character is shown to be invulnerable or ‘above the rest’. Watson continuously compliments Holmes and is shown to be inferior. Also Holmes continually refers to Watson as “My dear Watson”, this is quite patronising and is also quite possessive. He treats Watson as a student learning how to be a successful detective, however when confronted by others, Holmes refers to Watson as “My friend Doctor Watson”. This is significant because it shows that Holmes respects Watson but needs to act superior when they are alone in a way that ‘puts him in his place’.
When Holmes solves the cases that seem unsolvable this also makes him appear to be a hero, which is what he is made out to be. This is common in modern detective fictions and clearly appeals to the readers.
Another technique that I noticed whilst reading was that Doyle wants the reader to think in the same way as Watson does about Sherlock Holmes; he wants the reader to admire him and amaze him, this helps keep people reading the stories. Watson also plays a narrator at the beginning and during the stories, for example, “It was early in April in the year ‘83”. This quote is from the beginning of The Adventure of the Speckled Band, it gives the impression that Watson is writing in a journal. Shortly after Watson introduces the story in Silver Blaze he says to Holmes “I should be most happy to go down with you if I should not be in the way”. Watson appears inferior to Holmes from the start of the story and this makes the reader respect Holmes.
One factor about Doyle’s stories that would not work today is how women are seen to be inferior to men. If any women appear in the stories they are usually maids or clients in need of Holmes, for example Helen Stoner is in a “pitiable state of agitation”. Looking through the text in The Red-Headed League it is very difficult to find a woman even mentioned. In modern day detective fiction women are always involved and seen equal to men (however I haven’t seen one that has a women as a main character).
All of the techniques that I have mentioned in Sherlock Holmes are needed in detective fiction. Aspects of the novels should be kept in all detective fictions as they are proven to be the most successful. The fact that The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes were set in the Victorian times does not change anything. Modern detective fiction still uses all of these components and Sherlock Holmes is the reason why they are successful.
