The Valley of the Fear Essay Example
The Valley of the Fear Essay Example

The Valley of the Fear Essay Example

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Analytical essay Adrian Flynn’s playwright “The Valley of the Fear”, adapted from the novel by Conan Doyle, demonstrates how the writer uses techniques to convey an impression of suspense and mystery through scenes with a high level of anticipation and uncertainty. Suspense is achieved through the use of literary devices and events that stimulate the viewer’s moods. Readers wait with anticipation for the next secret to be revealed in strong, sudden scenes. Furthermore, Doyle creates a sense of tension by never giving the reader an entire answer so they can make up their own mind about what’s happening.

The murder of John Douglas illustrates how the playwright is punctuated at times with strong, sudden scenes to keep you on edge. Someone hammers on a door offstage then yells “Murder has been done

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! ” (Prologue). This scene stops the reader from becoming bored as they wait for the next secret to be revealed. Flynn’s literary style can be seen from the very first sentence in Act 1, Scene 1, when the murder of John Douglas is recalled. Doctor Wood states, “Mr Douglas must have received the whole charge at close range. His head is blown almost to pieces. This unexpected event, stirs up feelings of shock and disbelief. Doyle stimulates the reader's mood with a high level of uncertainty as to how this brutal event could have occurred or who the murderer could be. More confusion sets in when Sergeant Wilson states, “Then how can any murder have got away? It is out of the question. Mr Douglas must have shot himself. ” Throughout the beginning of the story the credibility of the narrator, Dr Watson, i

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built up to ensure a relationship of trust (deception) between him and the reader.

Everything he says is instantly believable (questionable) and this amplifies the mystery and suspense. An example of this is: My practice had steadily increased, and as I happened to live at no very great distance from Paddington Station, I got a few patients from among the officials. Here you can see that Doyle is emphasising Watson’s profession. The reader is given the impression that because Watson is a doctor he can be trusted. Furthermore, the reader knows that he’s not going to dramatise the events.

The imagery in Flynn’s playwright reveals the ambiguity of our relationship with nature. a state or condition of mental uncertainty or excitement, as in awaiting a decision or outcome, usually accompanied by a degree of apprehension or anxiety. 2. a state of mental indecision. 3. undecided or doubtful condition, as of affairs MacDonald: Just this. Mr Douglas of Birlstone Manor House was horribly murdered this morning. Someone hammers on a door offstage. Cecil Barker: [Yelling, off] “Murder has been done! ” state or condition of mental uncertainty or excitement, as in awaiting a decision or outcome, usually accompanied by a degree of apprehension or anxiety. 2. a state of mental indecision. 3. undecided or doubtful condition, as of affairs Use literary devices such as red herrings and cliffhangers are used extensively. E. g. : "They've taken his wedding ring! " he gasped. "What! " "Yes, indeed. Master always wore his plain gold wedding ring on the little finger of his left hand. That ring with the rough nugget on it was above it, and the twisted snake ring

on the third finger.

There's the nugget and there's the snake, but the wedding ring is gone. "He's right," said Barker. : This incident convinced the detective that the ring was a part of the investigation and thus led him on another path of a waste of time. When Sergeant Wilson questions Barker, Ames and Mason regarding the murdered victim’s (Master’s) wedding ring. To ensure that the mystery itself is properly described (disguised), no detail is left out and this creates vivid images. The horrific details that Doyle puts across are not dampened in any way and this makes the story seem more believable.

He goes to great lengths to describe everything so that a full picture can be constructed without leaving anything to the imagination. Whilst this is a fairly aggressive way of treating the reader, it ensures that he or she sees the story in exactly the right way. It also emphasises the feeling of trust for the narrator since he’s sharing so many details. In order to further amplify this technique created by Doyle, conversation is short, sharp and factual ciphered to make sure that only facts are conveyed to the reader so that he or she can make up his or her own mind about what’s happening.

Doyle doesn’t force his opinions on them and this makes it more realistic. An example of this type of conversation is the exchange between Holmes... Mystery and suspense is conveyed by never giving the reader an entire answer, which causes the reader to read on. No, I don’t say that. I don’t say he can’t be beat. But you must give me time... you must give me

time! Watson: Dear Mr Holmes, i will go no further in this matter. It is too dangerous. He suspects me. Please burn the cipher message, which can now be of no use to you.

Fred Porlock McMurdo sits down, take out a letter, and briefly looks at it. Then, surreptitiously, he takes a revolver from an inside pocket, checks that it’s loaded, and puts it back. Holmes reads a disguised note with the clues’Holmes interprets this as some crime about to occur. Alternating settings from Birlstone manor to Vermissa Valley ensures the reader is always guessing to what happens next. Since the details are so unbelievable in themselves, Doyle ensures that the storyteller, the engineer, tells his story rationally, which ensures its believability.

An example of this is the following, sentence spoken by the engineer: Oh, no; not now. I shall have to tell my tale to the police; but, between ourselves, if it were not for the convincing evidence of this wound of mine, I should be surprised if they believed my statement, for it is a very extraordinary one, and I have not much in the way of proof with which to back it up. And, even if they believe me, the clues which I can give them are so vague that it is a question whether justice will be done. Author’s generate suspense out of relatively mundane things, such as tension, risks, haracters being compromised, facing off alone, or whether the stuffy hero will walk under the door just before the pail of water falls down. Throughout the beginning of the playwright the level of anxiety is heightening due to the narrator, Dr Watson,

is built up to ensure a relationship of tension (deception) between him and the reader. Everything he says is instantly unquestionable and this amplifies the mystery and suspense. An example of this is: When Sergeant Wilson questions Barker, Ames and Mason regarding the murdered victim’s (Master’s) wedding ring.

Here you can see that Doyle is emphasising Watson’s profession. The reader is given the impression that because Watson is an apprentice he can be trusted. Furthermore, the reader knows that he’s going to dramatise the events. To ensure that the mystery itself is properly addressed (disguised), no detail is left out and this creates vivid images. The horrific detail that Doyle puts across our mind is to ensure that the story should set of damp and dark scenes to generate more anticipation in a way that makes the story seem more believable.

He goes to great lengths to describe everything so that a full picture can be constructed without leaving anything to the imagination. Whilst this is a fairly aggressive way of treating the reader, it ensures that he or she sees the story in exactly the right way. It also emphasises the feeling of anxiety for the narrator since he’s sharing so many details. Since the details are so vivid and out of the ordinary, Doyle ensures that the storyteller, the narrator, tells his story uniquely with red-herrings and cliff-hangers used to the best of their abilities, which extends their level of thought.

An example of this is the following, sentence, "Yes, indeed, Master always wore his plain gold wedding ring on the little finger of his left hand. That ring with the rough nugget on it was

above it, and the twisted snake ring on the third finger. There's the nugget and there's the snake, but the wedding ring is gone. ”, “He’s right! ” cried Mr Barker. This incident convinced the detective that the ring was a part of the investigation and thus led him on to another path which had nothing to do with the crime that has been committed. “Dear Mr Holmes, I will go no further in this matter. It is too dangerous.

He suspects me. Please burn the cipher message, which can now be of no use to you. Fred Porlock. In order to further amplify this technique Doyle added some confusing dialogue to keep the reader interested and thinking and to keep the reader looking for more, conversation is short, sharp and sudden, ciphers are to make sure that only facts are conveyed to the reader so that he or she can make up his or her own mind about what’s happening. Doyle doesn’t force his opinions on them and this makes it more realistic. An example of this type of conversation is the exchange between Holmes... he reads a disguised note with the clues ’Holmes interprets this as some crime about to occur. stimulate the viewer's moods Use literary devices Cover-up information Generate suspense out of relatively mundane things never giving the reader an entire answer punctuated at times with strong, sudden scenes a state or condition of mental uncertainty or excitement, as in awaiting a decision or outcome, usually accompanied by a degree of apprehension or anxiety. 2. a state of mental indecision. 3. undecided or doubtful condition, as of affairs

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