Conan Doyle Writing Style

This sample of an academic paper on Conan Doyle Writing Style reveals arguments and important aspects of this topic. Read this essay’s introduction, body paragraphs and the conclusion below.

Holmes will know something that Watson and the reader don’t, but he doesn’t reveal it until he feels it is the right time. For instance when Holmes goes to see Silas Brown and ‘Holmes leaned forward and whispered something in the trainer’s ear. He (Silas Brown) started violently and flushed to the temples.

‘ We do not know what was whispered in Brown’s ear, yet we know whatever Holmes said must be shocking as Brown was very surprised and went red in the face. Watson, and the readers, are ignorant in regard as to what happened.

It is quite irritating, yet full of suspense, as we have been given all of the clues and still cannot find out the conclusion of the crime. Later, we find out that Holmes knew he took the horse, Silver Blaze, and this makes Holmes’s intelligence even more apparent.

Silas Brown was so shocked that Holmes knew of his crime that ‘he is convinced that I (Holmes) was watching him. ‘ This all builds suspense within the story as the reader does not know why something is happening but continues to read on in order to find out.

‘The Red-Headed League’ is full of suspense as Mr Jabez Wilson explains his problem to Holmes. Mr Wilson has an assistant, Vincent Spaulding, who is willing to work for ‘half wages’ which is rather odd if he knows he can get full wages.

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Also it was Spaulding who gave the advertisement to Mr Wilson in the first place, which is asking about The Red-Headed League who no one has ever heard of before, and Spaulding even took him to the interview. And it was strange when he introduced him to Duncan Ross ‘”This is Mr Jabez Wilson… and he is willing to fill a vacancy in the League.

Why Was The Red Headed League Dissolved

“‘ Furthermore, it is once again odd that he got the job straight away and the reader wonders why Ross would ask Wilson if he has a family. The actual job is most peculiar as he must copy out the encyclopaedia and bring his ‘own ink, pens, and blotting-paper’, as well as not being allowed to leave the building for four hours. And Spaulding has promised that he will look after Wilson’s business whilst he is doing his job during those four hours. Finally, it is extremely unexpected how the League ‘dissolved’ abruptly and was no more which is very suspicious. Moreover, Ross is using two names; Duncan Ross and William Morris.

He would only do that if he is hiding from someone or is hiding something himself. An additional very good example of suspense in ‘The Red-Headed League’, is just before the main resolution is about to take place. They are left to sit in ‘absolute darkness’, highlighting their use of other senses, for instance ‘the smell of metal’ and ‘the cold, dank air of the vault’. The writing is slowed down by a lengthy description by Watson of the atmosphere and what he was feeling and experiencing; ‘My limbs were weary and stiff, for I feared to change my position’.

Then the word ‘suddenly’ stresses a sudden transformation in the surroundings and although the writing doesn’t really speed up in the next paragraph the tension and feeling of suspense seems to amplify by something happening. The use of language is effective with powerful words emphasising the actions, like when Watson sees a ‘lurid spark’. The word ‘gash’ is used and it makes the action seem forceful, and when the ‘writhing fingers’ appear from the ground it seems creepy and surreal.

This descriptive writing makes the tension build up to a climax until Sherlock Holmes jumps from his hiding place and ‘seized the intruder by the collar’, confirming his clever theory correct. After this the writing slows down again as safety is certified. In ‘A Scandal in Bohemia’ there are many themes such as romance, scandal and suspense. The title of the story prepares the reader for action and a lot of suspense. It is the King of Bohemia that explains the problem to Holmes and as he is explaining the reader can tell that Holmes is one step ahead; ‘”I was aware of it,” said Holmes dryly.

‘ and ‘”I was also aware of that,” murmured Holmes’ and he was ‘closing his eyes’ which indicates he is bored as he already knows all of this information. There is a lot of interesting vocabulary that is used to indicate a scandal such as; ‘most extreme importance’, ‘secrecy’, ‘immense scandal’, ‘great delicacy’, and ‘seriously compromise’. This intrigues the reader to carry on reading and to find out the answers to all of the questions going on in their minds like why is this King asking for Holmes’s help, what is his case, what does Irene Adler have to do with this story and so on.

The tension builds up as the reader continues reading, and when Holmes cleverly finds out where the picture is hidden. Then we are all in for a shock when we find out that Holmes has been out-witted, especially by a woman. When he goes to her house and the maid informs him ‘My mistress told me that you were likely to call,’ Holmes is extremely taken aback and he even ‘staggered back, white with chagrin and surprise’. The reader would usually expect another character to be shocked as Holmes is usually one step ahead all the time.

Holmes tells the King that ‘from what i have seen of the lady she seems indeed to be on a very different level to your majesty. ‘ Here Holmes is saying that even though Irene Adler is of a different status to the King and Holmes, she is very clever and has out-witted Holmes and also she is smart for keeping the photograph for future use. ‘The Red-Headed League’ and ‘A Scandal in Bohemia’ contrast as Holmes knew what was going to happen before the crime was even committed in ‘The Red-Headed League’ whereas he was outsmarted in ‘A Scandal in Bohemia’.

Conan Doyle’s style of writing is particularly sophisticated, humorous, perplexing and successful. Even though the structure of the stories is very similar, the storylines differ greatly and in spite of using the same technique of structure throughout, his stories do not become boring. In conclusion, his techniques of generating suspense are effective, with tension being built into sections and into the structure of the stories and only broken at the end, and this suspense in his stories makes them appealing and enjoyable to read.