How Does Arthur Conan Doyle Create Tension

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How Does Arthur Conan Doyle Create Tension

And Suspense In 'The Speckled Band'

The Speckled Band is just one of the murder mystery stories featuring the famous detective, Sherlock Holmes.

Holmes was not any ordinary detective, he was a detective who was famous for solving murders. In this case Holmes is trying to solve the mystery of the 'Speckled Band'.

Some examples of tension building techniques are dramatic events and in some instances the inclusion of red herrings. Bad weather and night time are also used as a means of building up atmosphere and tension.

The main setting is Dr Roylot's house in the middle of a wild, stormy night. This immediately creates a sense of uneasiness in the readers mind. In his description of the storm, Conan Doyle uses sounds to very good effect. He talks about the howling wind and the rain beating on the windows. This language has a double impact because the words `howling' and `beating' are onomatopoeic. In fact, all the way through the story, we see many examples of onomatopoeia. The feeling created is of watching a film with full sound effects.

Conan Doyle's excellent skills in imagery