in the opening of 'The Speckled Band' and 'The Red-Headed League' they are quiet similar in the style of how they begin as they are both very descriptive and engaging. In all his stories they are descriptive and always have a new character introduced in the opening sentence, building some tension and making the reader want to know about this new character. these openings grip the reader because of the way they describe Holmes as a genius and a clever character, what suggests this is when Watson talks to him and he notices things about him,’. My eyes tell me that on the inside of your left shoe, just where the firelight strikes it, the leather is scored by six almost parallel cuts. Obviously they have been caused by someone who has very carelessly scraped round the edges of the sole in order to removed crusted mud from it.' this shows the reader how clever and a great observer Holmes is. Holmes great observation is described in such detail, which make people love his classical books.
Doyle's detective fiction also appeals to many of the modern readers because of the use of the 1st person narration. The use of 'I' engages the reader and makes them be more involved in the story, as if they are playing a part in it. Watson in the story plays Holmes sidekick, who is a doctor and good friend of Holmes, Watson was like the author in the story, and relates to Conan Doyle as they are both doctors and both quite honorable men, evidence that suggests this is that in the story Holmes describes Watson, 'This is my friend and colleague, Dr Watson, who is occasionally good enough to help me in my cases. Who have I the honour to address?' Sherlock Holmes has a sidekick because they are close friends and colleagues as he described, he also said that Dr Watson was good enough to help him with the cases and most of all he can trust him. In speckled band it tells us that Holmes and Watson lived together, this suggests that they had a close friendly relationship. I Also in the story Watson is the narrator because I think Conan Doyle did this so that it was as if Watson was telling people his account of his adventures with Holmes and the mysteries they have solved, it makes the reader think that he was a witness to all these solving of crimes as he had been there with Holmes.
Holmes appeals to modern readers because of his exciting and mysterious character, in The Scandal in Bohemia, he is described by Watson as a '...cold, precise, but admirably balanced mind' this suggest that Holmes is perfectionist ad works in a very exact and mysterious way. Also in the speckled band Watson talk about how Holmes' 'refused to associate himself with any investigation which did not tend towards the annual and eve the fantastic'. He made the readers find Holmes a very fascinating, clever and wise man. Compared to Watson he I very wise and precise also being very quick to find clues, solve mysteries and observe. Although he was a music loving, drug using character he was always on top of his work when it came to doing his job ad being a detective. What makes him a great detective was his key element that made Holmes who he was and that was his observation; evidence that suggest this is when Holmes says 'quite so! You have not observed. And yet you have seen. That is just my point. Now I know that there are seventeen steps, because I have both seen and observed'. In Red-Head League it also tells us that he is quick on finding and working things out when he notices dirty trouser knee on Spaulding.
However the victims also appeal a lot to the audience because they are all play desperate characters in need of Holmes for his help. In the stories, the king of Bohemia, Helen stoner and Jabez Wilson are all very different and individual characters. the king of bohemian is portrayed as a very proud, nobleman when he is described in the scandal of Bohemia, ' A man entered who could hardly have been less than six feet six inches in the height, with the chest and limbs of a Hercules' this suggests that he is a very respected man, but in real fact he has a secret and being the king he does not want anyone to know as it could ruin his reputation as king. When Helen stoner's sister was murdered, by their father. She wanted to find out why it happened and why he was after her, also in the red-headed league Jabez Wilson also turns for help. what makes them interesting as characters is that the do not play ordinary characters who are in detective fiction, the typical murder and victim, it is different , the characters are different and this is why it appeals to modern audience. They are not stereotypical characters, as you would not find a king having an affair or a woman who is standing her ground to find out who killed her sister. If the audience where to read about these characters they would expect, characters who where very typical and the same in every other story but they are not and because of this difference it appeals a lot to the modern audience.
On the other hand the villains in the story are also very appealing because they cause a lot of tension and drama in the stories. Irene Adler is not the stereotypical way as being described as the woman by Sherlock Holmes and described by Watson, 'she has the face of the most beautiful of women, and the mind of the most resolute of men' her description is very different and because not a lot of women are confident and powerful like her at that time she became an interesting, even and inspiring character. In the story of the Red-headed League he describes the villain John Clay as 'the murderer, thief, smasher and forger', his detailed description gives the reader an idea of how bad the villain is and how his character is so cunning, as he is descried, like a stereotypical criminal. They all reflect the society of that time as Irene Adler is quite wealthy, evidence that suggests this is when Conan Doyle describes her home ...'large sitting room on the right side, well furnished, with long windows almost to the floor' a description that may suggests that she was in the upper class.
In Conan Doyle's stories the description of the setting are really appealing. In the scandal in Bohemia, the transport in front of Irene Adler's home seems very grand. When it says 'a hansom cab' it suggests that the transport during the Victorian ear was very rich, and tells us a lot about the character. Godfrey Norton a friend of Irene. When Doyle describes the Saxe-Coburg and say, 'it was one of the main arteries which conveyed the traffic of the city to the north and west. the roadway was blocked with the immense stream of commerce flowing in a double tide inwards and outwards, while the footpaths were black with the hurrying swarm of pedestrians' this describes the outside area of Saxe-Coburg which is just like London now, very busy and crowded, as it surrounded by business and people who are of upper class. Also Roylott Mansion tells us that the character is very wealthy as the use the word mansion to describe the type of house it is. When Conan Doyle describes it detail the layout of the house.
In addition Conan Doyle uses a lot of false trails in his stories, in the Scandal of Bohemia and The Red-Headed league, Conan Doyle used false trails in both these stories because I think because it was very effective and popular he used it again in his other story. They both include Watson and Holmes on their adventure as they are the main focus of the stories and as they cause most of the tension in the detective fictions. When Holmes examines the scenes of the crime he uses extreme observation, to solve the mysteries. His focus and accuracy always help him end with a successful solved mystery. In all his stories he uses the same technique as many of his over stories. He uses his observational skills to make the story gripping and add a lot of tension.
In the stories two of his stories are resolved, but in the scandal of Bohemia, Irene Adler’s Schemes leave us unsure of if the mystery was actually solved, when she leaves them a letter, ‘As to the photograph, your client may rest in peace. I love and am loved by a better man than he. The King may do what he will without hindrance from one whom he has cruelly wronged. I keep it only to safeguard myself, and to preserve a weapon which will always secure me from any steps which he might take in the future. I leave a photograph which he might care to possess; and I remain, dear Mr. Sherlock Holmes,’
In conclusion Conan Doyle's fiction detective stories are affective as his stories are timeless classics and are very appealing and gripping stories. The descriptive and detailed stories are so interesting they grab attention of many modern readers.
Nina Bartels
