Comparison of 'Lamb to the Slaughter' and 'The Speckled Band'.

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Nick Papadopoulos                                                        11SP                                                                 

Comparison of ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ and ‘The Speckled Band’

In this essay I am going to compare the similarities and differences in ‘The Speckled Band’ and ‘Lamb To The slaughter’.

I will focus on key points of murder mysteries such as; the plot, characterisation, setting, and how the author creates suspense for the reader.

Typical ingredients of a murder mystery is that there’s the murder, the murderer, the victim, suspects, detectives and or police men, clues; some of these will maybe be red herrings to try and throw the view off the scent, and the motive.

One of the short stories I am comparing is ‘The Speckled Band’; this was written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and was published in 1892. A brief synopsis of the story is that the female protagonist (Helen Stoner) sister (Julia Stoner) has died is suspicious circumstances with no clues left. The main suspect is her step father (Dr Roylott) who is trying to inherit the money left to the by their mother. Sherlock Holmes is hired to investigate.

The other story is ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’; this was written by Roald Dahl and published in 1954. A brief synopsis of the story is that the female protagonist (Mary Maloney) being the stereotypical housewife, and waiting for her husband (Patrick Maloney) to return. He returns; he has to tell her something tells her and she starts acting strange. She carries on as normal and goes to prepare dinner. She gets the giant leg of lamb and clubs him to death with it. She then makes her alibi whilst the police search for clues. Ironically they end up eating the only clue.

‘The Speckled Band’ being written in 1892 and ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ being written in 1954, shows that the difference in dates written makes a difference for the choices made by both the authors. For example ‘Lamb to the Slaughter; has a female killer instead of a male killer which there would have been in 1892 in ‘The Speckled Band’. Also ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ doesn’t use old fashioned English as ‘The Speckled Band’ does.

In ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ the story starts out as Mary being the victim as we presume that her husband has told her that he is leaving her and her unborn child, we see Patrick as the villain in this part. In ‘The Speckled Band’ we know straight away who is portrayed as the villain, Dr Roylott.

In ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ we are told that it is set in a warm, homely, modern household. “The room was warm and clean, the curtains drawn, the two table lamps alight- hers and the one by the empty chair opposite. On the sideboard behind her, two tall glasses, soda water, whisky. Fresh ice cubes in the thermos bucket”. This also gives the impression that it is a routine performed every day.

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In ‘The Speckled Band’ it is set in the 1800’s and people travel by train and dog-cart. We know this because Helen Stoner travelled on both of them.” I observe the second half of a return ticket in the palm of your left glove. You must have started early, and yet you had a good drive in a dog-cart, along heavy roads, before you reached the station”. The setting of the crime in ‘The Speckled Band’ is stereotypically correct as it is eerie, mysterious old house. “This building was of grey, lichen blocked stone”.  Suspicion is aroused at the murder ...

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