How do The Speckled Band by Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle and I'll be Waiting by Raymond Chandler reflect the eras in which they were writtten?

Christopher Kurwie - -

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HOW DO THE SPECKLED BAND AND I’LL BE WAITING REFLECT THE ERAS IN WHICH THEY WERE WRITTEN?

The two stories I aim to compare are The Speckled Band by Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle and I’ll be Waiting by Raymond Chandler. They are both short stories of the detective genre, but they were written in very different eras for very different audiences. I intend to ascertain how they reflect the moods of these époques.

The first story is a popular Sherlock Holmes novel by Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle called The Speckled Band, which was written in the Victorian age. This was a very confident and prosperous time, when the British Empire was at its height, and the mood of the people was one of confidence and national pride, often straying into arrogance. The characters, especially Holmes, the plot and the setting all reflect this self-assured time. One of the literary styles that the Victorian appreciated was Gothic Tales. Examples would be Edgar Allan Poe, or Mrs. Radcliffe’s Udolpho. These usually followed a specific pattern. Gothic Tales were macabre and fantastic, with unusual plots. The exotic and foreign were often used, such as gypsies and cheetahs in the Speckled Band. The unusual combination of violent murders and picturesque settings complement each other beautifully. For example, the murder was committed in an attractive, secluded mansion in Western Surrey. Also, there is a melodramatic villain, Dr Grimesby-Roylott, and a stereotypical, obvious plot. This shows that the Victorians loved the unusual aspect of these stories, as this was what fascinated them the most. The Specked Band is a typically Gothic Tale, suitably reflecting the era.

In great contrast to this, I’ll be Waiting is set in claustrophobic 1930’s U.S.A, in a large city such as New York. This was a very different time to the London of Victorian England as it was during The Prohibition and Depression Eras, where alcohol was banned and people’s morale was extremely low. Large mafia-style gangs controlled the streets by terrorising the people, operating illegal alcohol smuggling and other prohibited activities. Unemployment was high, and people were despairing. The audiences in post depression U.S.A. preferred a story that related to their downcast lives. A quote represents this perfectly:

The street was dark, silent. The rumble of traffic on Wilshire, two blocks away, had no body, no meaning.

There are some similarities to Gothic Tales however, such as the female victims and twisting plot. This shows that both novels were products of their eras, and that the interests of the people in thriving Victorian London and a failing American city are very different. The authors continue to represent the eras through the use of atypical detectives.

The two detectives are Sherlock Holmes and Tony Reseck. Both are excellent detectives, who go about solving crimes in very different ways. Holmes is the epitome of Victorian style, by the way he dresses, speaks and the general manner in which he conducts himself. He is a confident and debonair man, who is a very colourful character, energetic and incisive. He knows no self-doubt, is smug, and believes himself to be superior to others, which in many ways he is. These attitudes reflect the arrogance of the era. He is supercilious enough to place himself above the law, saying, "Fancy his having the insolence to confound me with the official detective force!” His supremacy is shown in his dealings with Dr Grimesby-Roylott, who he sees to be inferior to him. This enforces the idea of him being a ‘superman’ figure. Holmes works for the pleasure and intellectual challenge of solving unusual cases, he does not need to work for money. His active mind thrives on bizarre cases, as these excite him the most. Doyle never reveals what his hero is thinking until the end of the story. This requires the reader to use their own intellect to solve the case independently, allowing them to engage with the story.

Holmes, as would be expected, solves these cases with ease; he uses logic and deductive reasoning, making him a successful and celebrated detective.

By completing some further research on the Internet, I ascertained that Holmes’ character was actually modelled on the mentor of Doyle, Dr Joseph Bell:

Doyle admired the work of Dr. Bell who utilized observation and logic in the medical field. Doyle decided to mimic the methods of Dr. Bell when he developed his fictional detective. Doyle was always adamant that Holmes was indeed, based on Dr. Bell.

The readers of the stories ...

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Holmes, as would be expected, solves these cases with ease; he uses logic and deductive reasoning, making him a successful and celebrated detective.

By completing some further research on the Internet, I ascertained that Holmes’ character was actually modelled on the mentor of Doyle, Dr Joseph Bell:

The readers of the stories would have been aware of this, allowing them to relate to the story. Another method that Doyle uses to allow the reader to relate to the characters is by using a narrator, Watson. His hugely biased view tells of Holmes’ brilliance, and at the same time allows an insight into the mind of the hero, and with it the attitudes of the people at that time. For this reason, Watson is used cunningly to reflect the era.

In stark contrast to Holmes’ debonair attitude, Reseck is much more down-to-earth, and works by very different methods. He is not an intellectual, but works impulsively, as did many people at that time. He works quietly in the background, and is an introvert loner. He works alone, (without a sidekick, unlike Holmes) and he “always knew if anybody was close to him”. The distance he keeps to his own family, especially Al, his brother, shows this wish for solitude. This attitude is the opposite of the eccentric Holmes who can always be seen and heard. These differing attitudes significantly reflect the eras; the confidence of Victorian England versus the seclusion of Prohibition U.S.A. Chandler reflects this isolation by using derisive adverbs to describe Reseck, such as mockingly and gravely. As mentioned above, Holmes appears to be flawless. In contrast, Reseck is shown to be human and fallible by the elk’s tooth that he relies upon for good luck. Despite this, he is not inferior to Holmes, but is the result of a very grave time.

Chandler does not describe Reseck as an attractive man. He says Reseck is:

Short, pale, and paunchy middle-aged man

The reason for this is that readers from that time could not relate to a flawless, attractive man. Chandler has used an ugly character to achieve this. In addition, Reseck’s sleight-of-hand shows the need for being alert in an opportunist time. Al, Tony’s brother, sums Reseck up when he says:

You take it slow

In summary, the characters are greatly different. Where Holmes is elegant, handsome and arrogant, Reseck is paunchy, quiet and thoughtful in his actions.

When further analysing the characters, much can be achieved by comparing them to their arch-villain. This will help in analysing the two eras. Holmes’ arch villain is Dr Grimesby-Roylott. The two men are greatly different, with Holmes plotting his brains against Grimesby-Roylott’s brawn. The two confront each other only once, with Holmes naturally coming out on top. This was when Grimesby-Roylott challenged Holmes in his Baker Street office. Holmes is undaunted by his enemy’s aggressive attitude, and shows utter contempt to his threats. This is demonstrated when he ridicules the aggressive Grimesby-Roylott:

“What has she been saying to you?" screamed the old man furiously.

"But I have heard that the crocuses promise well," continued my companion imperturbably.

Grimesby-Roylott then attempts to use his strength to scare the composed Holmes. He bends a poker then hurls it into the fire. Holmes, unconcerned, then picks the poker up and unbends it with ease: “I might have shown him that my grip was not much more feeble than his own.” This reinforces the idea of Holmes’ superiority over everyone else. This symbolism is a precursor to the end of the tale, and the reader knows that Holmes will eventually prevail over his enemy.

In I’ll be Waiting, there is no arch villain, hinting at the corruptness of the times. However, when Reseck meets with another character, Al, he is insulted, and in the end is seen to be inferior. Al calls Tony his “little fat brother”, which is obviously derogatory. Reseck does not have the same superiority over others as Holmes, which shows how different the times and self-esteem of the characters are.

As well as the heroes that are portrayed in the stories, the language and accents that are used also depict the eras. In Holmes’ Baker Street location, he speaks in very proper English, again trying to reinforce his superiority. He is suave and soothing, speaking in a cultured accent, especially when talking to Helen Stoner. He uses archaic language, such as ‘pray’, and never abbreviates his words. All sentences are grammatically correct, and often contain archaic clauses. An example of this is:

And now, Watson, this is too serious for dawdling, especially as the old man is aware that we are interesting ourselves in his affairs; so if you are ready, we shall call a cab and drive to Waterloo.

Reseck, in contrast, speaks in argot, slick language. There are many slang words and phrases that he uses. Examples of this are:

The guy stopped the big one. Cold.

And

Talk it up copper. My mind reader just quit.

Other cynical wisecracks show the alertness and the need for being streetwise in such an opportunist time. His accent is also colloquial, showing the lower class of people he deals with, compared to Holmes’ London. The settings of these stories show where the interest of the people lay, and can give an insight into life at that time.

Location also plays an important role in reflecting the times. The Speckled Band is set in bachelor rooms in Baker Street London, a very affluent area of West London. This shows the prosperity and superiority of Holmes, and with it his success in life. The second part of the story in set in an English country mansion, again an affluent location. The admiration that the Victorian people had for the rich and successful in life, envying them greatly is demonstrated by this. In contrast, I’ll be Waiting is set in a seedy and dangerous world, in a crime-ridden inner city, controlled by gangs running the illegal alcohol trade. An example of this is the ‘Trouble Boys’ who are stereotypical gang-members of that time. They use colloquial language and the way that they turn their collars up and hide in the shadows indicate to the reader that they are clichéd criminals. Reseck works in a hotel called the Windermere Hotel, another undesirable location. I’ll be Waiting appeals to 1940’s readers, as they had more interest in the reality of life, rather than on the lives of the rich aristocracy.

The final aspects of the two stories that I will compare are the endings. When comparing the endings of the two stories, one can see how the two are very different, but still reflect the eras. When Holmes solves the case and completes his triumph over Grimesby-Roylott, it is a complete and satisfactory ending to the story. He manages to independently solve the case, and with it killing the Doctor. (The Doctor was sending a poisonous snake through a vent into the room where his victim sleeps. The snake climbed down a rope and bit the person and then returned upon the call of a whistle. The detective however, deduced this and scared the snake, provoking it to return and kill the Doctor.) The Victorian people would only be satisfied by a total victory, as this would be expected from such a superior character.

In contrast, Reseck experiences a ‘Phyricc Victory’. This means that although he was successful, his brother Al died in the process. The ending is very emotional, especially when Tony Reseck receives a telephone call telling him that Johnny Ralls (the man who Tony let go, against his brother’s advice) has murdered his brother Al. He is sad not only because his brother is dead, but also because he feels culpable for his death. The man who is telling Reseck this is very short with him, almost speaking in bullet point form:

“Al had a hunch you’d run him out. Tailed him and took him to the kerb. Not so good. Backfire.”

This lack of emotion in the messengers voice indicates the number of shootings that he may have experienced in a crime-filled time:

The metallic voice sounded impatient, a little bored

Tony does not take the news well, first experiencing great, subdued, sadness, then denial. When he picked up the phone, unaware of the messenger’s news, he is described as “cuddling the receiver close to his chest.” However, as he found out about Al’s death, the description changed to:

Tony held the phone very tight and his temples chilled with the evaporation of moisture.

His emotions are displayed in very subtle ways, he does not shout or cry, his true sentiments are displayed in more delicate ways. This hints at the introversion of the times. Another method that Chandler employs to display Reseck’s feelings is through the use of verbs and adverbs: ‘lurched,’ ‘dryly’, ‘quietly,’ ‘closed his eyes.’ Apart from this, and the handling of the phone, Chandler states that Reseck’s “mouth made a sound that was not speech,” another subtle clue to his true feelings. As mentioned above, the sadness turns to denial:

Tony put the phone down…very carefully, so as not to make any sound.

He was hoping that he could overlook the feelings of depression and guilt that he would inevitably sense by pretending that nothing had happened. Finally, Reseck seems to begin to accept his brother’s death in the best way he can:

He reached the chair he had sat in before and lowered himself into it inch by inch.

The fact that Tony sits in the chair that he sat in at the start of the story, indicates a theme of circularity, life goes on. This can be extended to the elk’s tooth; he is holding it in his hand at the beginning and the end. This serene attitude towards his surroundings, family and general life reflects the era superbly. This sad end shows the times, where people were accustomed to failure, and a triumphant victory was never expected nor well received.

In conclusion, both stories reflect the eras in which they were written. One is set in prosperous Victorian England, where the spirits of the people were high. This is reflected in the story, with triumphant characters, most notably Holmes. He is confidant bordering on arrogant. Many people of that time could relate to his feelings of distain at those inferior to him. The language he uses, as well as the setting in which he is depicted, show this superiority. On the contrary, Reseck works in a seedy location where the people he meets are depressed. He is an introvert loner, who works in a hotel in the downtown area of a large city. The 1930’s people could relate to that, as they were in the same situation, yet could be inspired by his successful work. He reflects a downcast and disheartened society going through a very unhappy time. Doyle’s tale has a dynamic story line, whereas Chandler’s lacks energy. This is another subtle way in which Chandler reflects the monotonous era he depicts.

In summary, both stories reflect the respective eras in which they were written, using both subtle and obvious methods.