Both Band Shares Some Of The Characteristics Essay Example

it wouldn't have garnered the same level of acclaim as it did upon its initial release.

To fully comprehend Lamb to the Slaughter, it is important to gather information about Roald Dahl and Arthur Conan Doyle as well as the current events during their respective times. Born in 1916 and deceased in 1990, Dahl initially wrote stories with a broad appeal. His work gained popularity, resulting in some of his tales being televised for British audiences. During this era, people living in Britain were enjoying a democratic way of life and feeling more engaged with their country while having the liberty to express themselves.

Dahl was able to gain recognition as a writer by creating stories that mirrored the sentiments of the general public. Similarly, Arthur Conan Doyle understood that the audience wanted to feel heard, and incorporated their desires into his works. Although both "Lamb to the Slaughter" and "The Speckled Band" feature compelling story openings that establish the main characters and important plot elements, they employ different tactics to do so.

Starting with a brief narrative from Mr Watson, Sherlock Holmes' best friend and colleague, The Speckled Band allows readers to form their own opinion of the famously analytical detective. This technique, chosen by author Conan Doyle, allows readers to feel intimately involved with the story and invested in the character, without needing integration into the plot itself. As Holmes' close friend, Mr Watson naturally provides readers with a positive impression of the main character and compels them to read on.

I think that in writing Lamb to the Slaughter, Roald Dahl aimed to involve the reader in the story and leave a lasting impression

of the main characters. However, Dahl opted to utilize a distinct method for achieving this goal: pathetic fallacy. He skillfully employed this technique to shape the perception of Mrs. Maloney, who is depicted as a contented married woman. Pathetic fallacy involves utilizing the environment or surroundings to reflect a person's qualities.

Even though it's a distinct approach from Conan Doyle's, the impact remains the same. In this book, pathetic fallacy is exemplified in the very first sentence - "The room was warm and clean" - conveying a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. Additionally, Dahl achieves an impression of the characters through the convenient narration style.

By using a third-person voice in the story, the narrator creates a sense of familiarity with Mrs Maloney and conveys a bias towards her, which influences the reader to favor her. The story diverges significantly from traditional detective stories like The Speckled Band, in that the reader sympathizes with the killer rather than the detective. This serves to enhance the story's objective.

The depiction of murderers varies greatly across different stories. In The Speckled Band, for example, Dr Roylott is gradually painted as the antagonist. Conan Doyle's initial portrayal of Roylott includes "deep set bile shot eyes" and "a large face seethed with 1000 wrinkles", creating a sense of wickedness and unattractiveness.

However, the protagonist of Lamb to the Slaughter appears to be a caring and devoted wife, which adds to the mystery surrounding the killer and victim. Despite their similarities, both murderers have clear motives. In Lamb to the Slaughter, the motive is widely accepted by readers and revealed throughout the narrative.

The reader gains insight into Mrs Maloney's character through knowledge of her

motive, whereas in The Speckled Band the motive is revealed gradually, prompting readers to consider various story elements that may contribute to the motive and to continue reading in order to unravel the mystery. Roald Dahl employs third person narration to convey an accurate portrayal of Mrs Maloney's thoughts, actions, and emotions.

While Dr Roylott has little presence in The Speckled Band, his family history and past reveal him to be an extreme individual who would resort to murder to achieve his desires. The portrayal of detectives in the two stories differs, with Sherlock Holmes being the quintessential example of a detective, as evidenced by his observant nature and "all comprehensive glance."

In Lamb to the Slaughter, the detective Jack Noonan is presented as a complete opposite to Holmes in every aspect. While Holmes discredits police by outsmarting them, Noonan does so by being indolent, careless, and inexperienced. Holmes is depicted as highly competent both mentally and physically, and tirelessly dedicates himself to the case with seemingly superhuman abilities.

When comparing Noonan and Holmes, their differences are apparent. While the murderer Noonan is shown to eat evidence and giggle in the next room, revealing a lot about his character, Conan Doyle's portrayal of Holmes creates trust between him and readers due to the weak and untrustworthy police force at that time. This was important for providing assurance to the public by outsmarting the police force. Dahl's portrayal of Noonan supports the idea that police incompetence leads to an inability to solve murders as they only focus on basic facts without deeper analysis. The depiction of this incompetence plays a significant role in creating the perfect murder within the

story.

The Speckled Band and Lamb to the Slaughter have different portrayals of their main characters. Holmes is the dominant protagonist in The Speckled Band, embodying intelligence, and a surpassing faith in himself to outsmart the legal system. In contrast, Noonan has a minor role in Lamb to the Slaughter, serving only to reinforce the idea that a false assumption can lead to a guilty person's escape. Additionally, Lamb to the Slaughter's language usage, including words such as 'larder', 'basement', and 'precinct', indicates it is set in 1950s America.

Both stories have different plots and structures, but share an effectiveness in their portrayal. The setting in The Speckled Band is clear in its depiction of pre-20th century England with its costumes, scenery, and archaic language. In contrast, the setting in the other story reflects the stereotype of a loving American family. The use of pathetic fallacy in The Speckled Band characterizes Dr Roylott and is a technique commonly seen in 19th-century literature.

The Speckled Band is a typical detective story where a murder is committed and the protagonist seeks to unravel the mystery. The tension reaches its peak when the narrator exclaims 'Holmes sprang from this bed, struck a match and lashed furiously with his cane at the bell pull', which serves as the climax of the story. The use of short, snappy sentences that convey swift movements and agitation enhances the climax like in most murder mystery stories where the resolution of the 'whodunit' question occurs.

While The Speckled Band relies on red herrings to create tension and suspicion, Lamb to the Slaughter is unique in that the reader witnesses the murder and knows

the identity of the killer from the start. Therefore, the climax of tension in the story is not discovering who the killer is, as in The Speckled Band, but rather when the police consider Mrs. Maloney as a suspect.

False suspicions and increasing suspense are brought about by factors such as Dr Roylott's fondness for exotic animals and the band of gypsies living on the estate. Conan Doyle employs flashbacks to clarify crime details, which are rapidly analyzed by Holmes, providing readers with a better understanding of the characters. On the other hand, Dahl, who chronicles Mrs Maloney's movements and reactions in third person, does not use flashbacks. In my opinion, if employed in this short story, they would have little or even a negative impact. Lamb to the Slaughter is a fast-moving narrative that deals with events as they occur.

The style of a story is helped by various elements such as descriptive words, metaphors, similes, etc. The Speckled Band, on the other hand, is known for its slow pace and use of flashbacks in the narrative. This follows the typical format of a traditional detective story and contributes to the serious tone of the tale.

Although written in different centuries, the varying styles of writing in the Speckled Band and the Reflections on the Revolution in France reflect the attitudes and societies of their respective times. The Speckled Band showcases the prevalent mindset and high crime rates of its era through its descriptive and suspenseful approach, utilising short, sharp sentences in climactic moments and longer, more detailed sentences in moments of tension. The story also carries a particularly significant tone with regards to the

British police force.

The atmosphere in Lamb to the Slaughter is dark and mysterious, while the story also reflects the evolution of language and thinking. The use of colloquial and informal language creates a relaxed tone, which differs from the outdated style found in The Speckled Band.

Sentences in The Speckled Band were typically formal with varying word orders, as illustrated by the author's own statement about their regular habits. Additionally, several similes were employed to enhance the atmosphere, such as the description of frightened eyes resembling those of a hunted animal, which conveys a sense of urgency and danger in the situation, with a clear hint of a predator also at play.

Lamb to the Slaughter, although less serious, employs a dark, humorous tone throughout its plot, giving it a quicker pace. The humor enhances the reader's reactions in certain instances, such as when the police consume the murder weapon, demonstrating that modern detectives may frequently overcomplicate situations instead of examining the obvious possibilities.

Readers are prompted by the stories' conclusions to contemplate the unexpected plot twists that arose, like in The Speckled Band where a red herring distracted and led to an unforeseen resolution. This twist adds thrill and challenges the reader's prior assumptions about the technique and weapon used for murder. Following this discovery, the title of the story - The Speckled Band - gains new meaning.

The Speckled Band initially appeared to refer to a group of gypsies in the story, but its true meaning was revealed towards the end. Similarly, Lamb to the Slaughter's title may suggest a lamb's murder at first, but it actually refers to the lamb being the murderer.

Both stories showcase how attitudes towards murder have evolved over time. Nowadays, people strive for a perfect murder that would go unnoticed and take further measures to conceal their actions instead of solely completing the killing and taking accountability. In my opinion, Lamb to the Slaughter is the most captivating and engaging tale.

The writing style of Lamb to the Slaughter was easier to follow and allowed me to connect with Mrs Maloney compared to Conan Doyle's mystery. Despite enjoying solving the mystery, I found it predictable. In contrast, Lamb to the Slaughter had more twists and went beyond the typical murder mystery by portraying the female character as the murderer instead of the victim. This role reversal was intriguing to me.

Despite the clear differences between the two stories, such as their respective writing times, language styles, and general plot, upon closer examination, I discovered that they share many similarities. Despite the evolution of writing styles over time, understanding one's audience remains a crucial aspect of crafting a compelling story. Ultimately, if readers do not enjoy a particular tale, it is likely that others within the same nationality or cultural group may feel similarly due to shared beliefs and opinions.

The success of a story or book depends on whether it goes against the prevailing opinions of its time. Therefore, both these stories were successful because they were suited to their respective times.