Examine the ways Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Essay Example for Free

Examine the ways Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Essay Examine the ways Sir Arthur Conan Doyle adds a sense of mystery and suspense to the typical detective story in the sign of four. (Write about the mysterious nature of the plot. The exotic nature of the settings, the variety of personalities involved in the story on both major and minor level. The personalities of Holmes and Watson. The way late Victorian society and its attitudes are depicted. Your own response to the book. ) Sir Arthur Conan Doyle starts the mystery off in the book straight away by just naming the book The Sign of Four, this encourages the reader to open and start reading the book. He creates suspense in the book by not including us in the crime in the first chapter, which differs from the normal detective story; he chooses to settle you in to the story by introducing you to the characters in the story. We find out that many people respect Holmes. Mr. Sherlock Holmes- he began; but the words seem to have a magical effect, for the window instantly slammed shut, and within a minute the door was open. And A friend of Sherlock Holmes is always welcome, When the author does enter Holmes and Watson in to the crime; he creates suspense by constantly solving bits of the puzzle, and introducing new problems. This also keeps the reader interested in the novel. Doyle indulges us in the novel by letting us see the story unfold from Watsons view; this doesnt let us know what Holmes is thinking, and keeps us guessing, Have u read your Jean-Paul. This again differs from the typical detective novel, thus increasing the suspense. Another way Doyle adds mystery to the book is the way he leaves the end of chapters at cliffhangers The little man obeyed in a half-stupefied fashion, and we heard him stumbling down the stairs in the dark. The typical Who done it? Is not present in the Sign of four adding mystery around the crime. The reader finds out who committed the crime half way through the novel, differing from the normal rounding up of suspects in to one room and explaining the motive, chain of events and finally the guilty party. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle differs from the norm with a very relaxed detective, Sherlock Holmes and I blankly looked at each other and then burst simultaneously into an uncontrollably fit of laughter. When they do find the right trail, they find that the criminals are intelligent. We are out of luck, said Holmes. They have taken a boat here. Suspense is increased at this point, as the women knew that a man with a wooden leg came and hired a boat late at night. I dont like that wooden legged man, In the first chapter the author establishes a social hierarchy; this differs from the social hierarchy of today. In the 19th Century the rich gentleman (non-working) were considered higher in status and intelligence than doctors or teachers which today would be considered higher in society than the gentleman. This attitude is reflected in Sherlock Holmes. He is a gentleman that is egotistical, misogynist and vain, yet he is always right. His knowledge is referred to at the start of the book when he is casually taking drugs. Again differing from the typical detective novel as usually you would not associate the hero, with being a drug taker showing differences in 19th century society to nowadays. He smiled at my vehemence. Perhaps you are right, Watson, As u can see Holmes is condescending Watson in the previous quote, showing the difference in society, as we would probably listen to a doctor if he told us something was bad. His intelligence shows again when he produces a likely (correct) storyline. The most obvious difference in society from the 19th century is that the language has changed, sentences are said in different orders and words have evolved (e. g. from thus to that). Watson is put in the Sherlock Holmes mysteries so the reader can relate to someone in the book. The reader relates to Watson because he finds out clues or puzzles the same time we do, he also finds out what Holmes is thinking when we do because Doyle chose to have a narrator involved in the story. This allows us to relate well. Watson is a very clever person making the reader relate even better as many people would not think of themselves as stupid. Watson has a personality which is a very calm, respectful, caring and modest. He never questions Holmes but is always mindful of what he is doing and obviously shows great respect for him: He did not seem offended. On the contrary, he put his fingers together, leaned forward on his chair like one who relishes conversation. Miss Morstan is the typical 19th Century Woman. Very frail, angelic woman needed to be protected by a strong man (Watson). Nowadays we would not see women as frail or angelic they are presumed competent to look after them selves. Doyle having lived in the 19th Century does not hold that opinion of women although unusually places a women at the center of the story. She, having lived in a boarding school since she was seventeen sees Watson as a Father figure and her feelings towards him grow stronger, and they eventually marry at the end of the book. The other characters of this story include Thaddeus Sholto, Athenly Jones and Jonathon Small. Thaddeus Sholto is a bizarre looking, bald man. He is often nervous as he has bodyguards who surprisingly are Indian. When he is first introduced in to the story he is wearing Indian clothing and smokes from a Hookah, his house is decorated in a typically Indian manner, he is a stereotypical hypochondriac and trusts no-one. Many 19th Century people thought that it was the best gift to be English, and people who chose to be or act a different way were considered to be mad. We nowadays would not think of foreigners as crazy unless we had met them, and got to know them well, this is associated with physiognomy, as people in the 19th Century firmly believed that they could tell if someone was bad by their facial features. He also has a great sense of moral value and respect. Athenly Jones is normally one of the people who deals with the more trivial cases in the world and only crosses paths with Holmes when he is perplexed. When Gregson, Lestrade or Jones are out of their depths, the matter is laid before me. When they first encounter each other Jones has a hint of envy in his voice. You lectured us on the Bishopgate Jewell case. He is obviously a man who does not like to be bettered and does not appear to have the same amount of respect and awe around Sherlock Holmes. We are told that Jonathon Small is, A poorly educated man, small, active, with his right leg off, and he wears a wooden stump. And He is middle aged, sunburnt, and an ex-convict. This quote in the 19th Century due to there attitudes on Physiognomy would make the readers think that he was a man to be wary of, and not trust. In the book Small is represented in a resentful, unkind manner; and is portrayed as a man who has led a hard and tiring life only wanting justification for his life, receiving what is rightfully his. Going back to the Physiognomy theory a controversial book was published in 1869 called The Origin of the Species. It followed the widely accepted theory of physiognomy. It made people believe that black people or savages were less evolutionally developed than they were. So Smalls accomplice from the Andaman Islands was viewed as a savage as well as being part of the smallest (height-wise) race on the earth. Being that they were fierce, morose intractable people, with distorted features. However this view was wrong and when you became loyal friends, they were loyal back. In the 19th Century many children did not attend school, either through poverty or theyre parents did not want them to go. They were left wandering the streets earning cheap money by doing errands. Sherlock Holmes refers to them as, His dirty little Lieutenants. He refers to them when he and Watson are hot on the trail of the Small and his accomplish. I enjoyed this book as it differs greatly from the normal detective novels creating suspense, mystery and anxiety. The way Sir Arthur Conan Doyle structured this book was very well done and deserves great praise, it kept me interested all the way through and surprised me one or two times as well. This after all did not conform to my original preconceptions of the book.

Akira Kurosawa and Robert Zemeckis Essay -- essays papers

Akira Kurosawa and Robert Zemeckis â€Å"As the term suggests, an auteur is an author, someone whose aesthetic sensibilities and impact are most important in the creation of a text. With literary texts, discerning authorship is usually no problem. But with collaborative art forms, such as film, deciding on authorship is much more complicated. Generally speaking, film theorists have concluded that it is the director of a film who is the auteur, the most important creative figure. But auteur theory is concerned with more that one film; it is concerned with the work of a director – with his or her whole corpus of films, and with certain dominant themes and stylistic aspects of these films. The text in auteur criticism is not one film, but the body of work of the director.† Although both Akira Kurosawa and Robert Zemeckis have made many successful films there is a distinct difference in the filmmakers works. The authorship of the film is what creates the distinction between Kurosawa and Zemeckis films. Examining authorship is a challenge; critics and writers have been attempting to do it for years. The most comprehensive definition that I have found is the one quoted above from Berger’s Cultural Criticism. In non-technical language, authorship is looked upon as an unknown distinct element that one of the film’s cast or crew brings to it. Always changing, this unknown element may be derived from, an actor, director, editor or even a cinematographer. In the past there have been two distinctions made by critics regarding authorship. There is the claim that there is an elitist group of filmmakers who have a distinct definable quality to all of their films regardless of whether they are considered good or bad quality films. In essence, the caliber of the film itself seems to be irrelevant to the theory. This group is categorized under the much sought after term of auteur. This said, a bad film made by an auteur is alleged to better than the best film made by a metteur en scene. This brings us to the idea of what can be considered when examining a metteur en scene. The definition seems to take on exactly the opposite quality than that of an auteur. A metteur en scene may make decent or even good films, but there seems to be a link missing when comparing all their works as a whole. When regarding the works of an Auteur, we must examine their films as a... ...e is how he creates his film; much of this is the level of control that a director exercises upon his body of work. Throughout Kurosawa's career, he worked hard to repeatedly present the themes, which were important to him. This is not always the case in Zemeckis' films, as we do not see Zemeckis using the same themes consistently throughout his works. Using subjectivity, Kurosawa was able to bring the audience into the minds and hearts of the characters involved. Thus, Akira Kurosawa's work is clearly superior to directors who presented their stories more objectively. Bibliography: Works Cited: Berger, Arthur Asa. Cultural Criticism: A Primer of Key Concepts. London: SAGE Publications, 1995 Mackinnon, Gillies. â€Å"Haunting visions.† Sight & Sound ns 4 (1994): 61 Peary, Gerald. â€Å"Akira Kurosawa; Japan's existential cowboy looks West and thinks East† American Film v. 14 (1989): 80-82 Ritchie, Donald. The Films Of Akira Kurosawa: Third Edition. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1998 Saynor, James. â€Å"Accidental Auteur,† Sight & Sound v.3 (1993): 4-8 Seltzer, Alex. â€Å"Akira Kurosawa: seeing through the eyes of the audience.† Film Comment v. 29 (1993): 72-77

Origins, After/Otherworld & Codes Of Living Essay

Literature has been a useful way of understanding many aspects about the world and even the essence of the existence of mankind. The connection of literature with humanity can be evidently seen in different historical accounts of stories that have become famous internationally. These literary works may have been mythological, fantasy, religious or even non-fictional, but despite all of this. Finding greater realizations about man can be deeply understood within the confines of these stories. There can be similarities and differences that might appear at the stories. But sometimes, readers would find it surprising when he or she realizes the connections. To further understand man’s origins, understanding literature is one form of assistance. The contents within stories across the centuries of literature define and display messages about the possible origins of man. The following paragraphs showcase two examples of literary examples of the accounts of the creation of man. Genesis Then God said, â€Å"Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground. † So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, â€Å"Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground. † (Genesis: 1: 26-28). Genesis, the initial part of the bible discusses the creation of everything. The book of Genesis made clear the importance of man and the explanation of how man came to be and how man should live. It stated clearly the purpose of man, to rule over the fish and the sea and the birds and every living creature. This account clearly states the importance of man and man’s role on earth. Greek Mythology’s Creation of Man â€Å"By now all was ready for the appearance of mankind. Even the places the good and bad should go to after death had been arranged. It was time for me to be created. There is more than one account of how that came to pass. Some say it was delegated by the gods to Prometheus, the Titan who had sided with Zeus in the war with the Titans, and to his brother, Epimetheus. Before making men he gave all the best gifts to the animals, strength and swiftness and courage and shrewd cunning, fur and feathers and wings and shells and the like – until no good was left for men, no protective covering and no quality to make them a match for the beasts. Prometheus, then, took over the task of creation and thought out a way to make mankind superior. He fashioned them in a nobler shape than the animals, upright like the gods; and then he went to heaven, to the sun. where he lit a torch and brought down fire, a protection to men far better than anything else, whether fur or feathers or strength or swiftness† (Hamilton, p. 71, 1942). The Creation of Man in Mythological description has been plenty. The above paragraph is just one account of man’s mythological creation. However, despite the various accounts, one common theme occurs, and that is man is created by the inspiration of the image of the gods. Death is inevitable.  One question that would come to mind to those who wonder about the afterlife is how does it look like? Is there such truth regarding life after death? These questions attract attention and interest. There are many literary accounts about the afterlife. Understanding them can help give a rather broad description or even just possible options of what the afterlife might really look like. Dante’s Divine Comedy This series shows the three phases of the afterlife according to Dante. Used in a 1st person point of view story-telling, Dante discusses the different places after a man dies. These places attributes to how man lived on earth. The places are the effect of life’s justice. The three places that were tackled are Hell, Purgatory and Paradise which is Heaven. Hell was described to have 9 circles, while Purgatory has 7 terraces, and then the 9 spheres of Heaven. Despite the religious transcription of the Divine Comedy, there are no other literary work that has become more influential about the afterlife than this work by Dante. It almost clearly describes the possibility of the afterlife. Greek Mythology Greek Mythology has been the product of classical literary work. Despite its mythological sense, there has been a good comparison with regards to the afterlife. Greek Mythology consists of the Heavens which is ruled by Zeus, the Waters which lorded over by Poseidon, and the Underworld which is under the control of Hades. The Underworld is the place for the dead. It’s description is a place of shadows and spirits. Most Greek Myths took place in the Underworld. Being considered as a place where the mortals live on after death, the concept of the afterlife is clear in this Greek Mythological place. There are many aspects of how man should live life. The Bible suggests a lot of stories that assists man in living the right kind of way. There are so many inspiring stories that advises how man should roam the earth and in the end reach the common goal of life. There are two striking accounts about the struggles in life but in the end achieving a positive result. The following literary accounts showcase stories about the remarkable aspect of life. These two stories display an interesting and enlightening statement about life.

The Migration Of Jamaican Immigrants - 1751 Words

Jamaican Culture 1. Is there anything significant about the immigration experience for this group? The migration of Jamaicans to the United States began in the early 19th century. Starting in the 1850s, there were only a couple hundred Jamaicans immigrating into the United States each year. However, by the end of the century, this number rose to approximately 1,000 per year. Between the years of 1981 and 1991, there were approximately one million immigrants from the entire Caribbean in the United States; the Jamaican immigrants made up one-fourth of that total. A common immigration scenario for this culture is for one family member to travel alone to the United States, become established, and send for other family members later. Several Jamaican families often decide to share an apartment or house, with each family occupying a bedroom, as they viewed extended family as an important resource. Jamaicans have come to the United States voluntarily, often looking for educational and occupational advancement. This immigration process was characterized by family separations (often prolon ged due to the cost of flying back to Jamaica), feelings of dislocation, and adjustment to the urban settings and colder temperatures. One of the most challenging things that Jamaicans have had to cope with is the physical and psychological isolation. On the island, the country is so small that it is easy to visit extended family members on a daily basis. Here, in the United States, however,Show MoreRelatedThe History Of Occupational Success In New York City1220 Words   |  5 Pagesof immigrants and home to immigrants business. Furthermore, New York City has exemplified the idea of the â€Å" American dream†. The American dream speaks to the idea of one creating success in the new nation that they migrated to. 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