"How does Conan Doyle create an atmosphere of danger and tension in Chapter 6 of 'The Hound of the Baskervilles'?"
Extracts from this document...
Introduction
"How does Conan Doyle create an atmosphere of danger and tension in Chapter 6 of 'The Hound of the Baskervilles'?" In chapter 6 of the Hound of the Baskervilles, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle creates an atmosphere of danger and tension by mainly using powerful description, such as: "...the brown earth had become ruddy, the brick had changed to granite, and red cows grazed in well-hedged fields where the lush grasses and more luxuriant vegetation spoke of a richer, if a damper climate." This is to draw vivid imagery in the readers mind. All the description slows down the pace of the book, and helps portray a calmer, more peaceful mood. Compared to others in the book, very little dialogue is used in this chapter. In the first part of chapter 6, everyone is exchanging parting remarks. This is the only part of the chapter that is solely speech and very little description at all. The mood here is rather relaxed, more than anything else, the first couple of pages of chapter 6 are merely informative, and very few techniques are used here to set the scene. ...read more.
Middle
They describe him as; "...this fiendish man... like a wild beast, his heart full of malignancy against the whole race which had cast him out." This was the one last thing that was needed to complete the feeling of total unease on the journey, as it says the "grim suggestiveness of the barren waste, the chilling wind, and the dartling sky", meaning that all these things have sealed the tension and brought it to a head. But even so, after making some more progress on their journey, the men begin to miss the country with; "the slanting rays of a low sun turning the streams to threads of gold and glowing on the red earth" as they enter an altogether much " bleaker and wilder" part of the moor. This powerful description again really draws a picture of the moor making the reader fell like they are involved in the story themselves. Strong description helps the reader also sympathise with the characters. Their journey seems to go on a decline in terms of spirits as it says they reach a; "cup-like depression, patched with stunted oaks and firs which had been twisted and bent by the fury of years of storm." ...read more.
Conclusion
There is another excellent use of personification and of a simile when the author describes Sir Henry standing there looking at his surroundings. It says; "The light beat upon him where he stood, but long shadows trailed down the walls and hung like a black canopy above him." This makes it seem as though the black canopy is the threat of what is going to happen, ready to jump down on him, like he's not alone. Watson's last impression of the moor and the house does not differ from his first, as is said; "...a broken fringe of rocks and the long, low curve of the melancholy moor. I closed the curtain, feeling that my last impression was in keeping with the rest." This shows just how they all felt about the place that it was a depressing, dangerous place where trouble was waiting just around the corner. In conclusion, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle made chapter 6 of 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' have an atmosphere of danger and tension by using powerful description to draw the reader into the story, and to create imagery in their minds. By using little dialogue he was able to describe even the tiniest things and make them all seem relevant. It is an excellent chapter, in a superb book. ...read more.
The above preview is unformatted text
This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Arthur Conan Doyle section.
Found what you're looking for?
- Start learning 29% faster today
- 150,000+ documents available
- Just £6.99 a month
