Narrative Techniques Used in The Hound of the Baskervilles - Assignment Example

Starting with a discussion of Chapter 14, identify and explore the range of narrative techniques used in The Hound of the Baskervilles to engage the reader. Although the short novel The Hound of the Baskervilles celebrates the exploits of the famous detective Sherlock Holmes, the story is told indirectly, through the somewhat biased eyes of his assistant Watson. This allows the hero to remain at a distance to the main plot, and even, at one point, enter the action in a surreptitious way that surprises both Watson and the reader. In some ways Conan Doyle plays with the reader by presenting things through the pedantic and annoying filter of Watson, because everyone, including Watson is trying to figure out a) what is actually happening in the action and c) what is going on in Holmes’ mind. The narrative of The Hound of the Baskervilles is nearing its climax at the beginning of Chapter 14 and the reader is, by now, waiting for the revelations that will explain all the unanswered questions that have been laid out in the previous chapters. Because it is a detective story, there is an expectation for readers of this genre that Holmes, the supersleuth, will finally show his hand and solve the mystery. The contrast between the scientific approaches of Watson and Holmes on the one hand, and the superstitions of the local country people has been highlighted, and the two worlds come together in the big finale which, the title of the book suggests, will be an encounter with the supernatural in the legendary form of the “Hound of the Baskervilles.” The chapter starts off reflectively, with a paragraph from the narrator figure, Watson, who points out that Holmes “loved to dominate and surprise those who were around him” (p. 152) but that this habit is sometimes a trial for Watson. This reflects a close bond between Watson and the reader, and it is strengthened by the use of the pronouns “we” and “our” because the characters surrounding Holmes and the reader alike are being kept in suspense: “The great ordeal was in front of us; at last we were about to make our final effort, and yet Holmes had said nothing…” (p. 152). This recalls the very opening scene of the book where Watson and Holms are in the office, and Watson has no clue what the cane signifies, while Holmes uses his superior skills do deduce all sorts of details. Both Watson and the reader are in awe of Holmes and this narrative stance characterizes the whole book. Throughout Chapter 14 Watson’s narrative voice chooses vocabulary which dramatizes the place, for example he calls Merripit Hall “the scene of the action” (p. 152) and he describes the three observers with verbs of whispering and creeping that suggest stealth and suspense. The descriptions of the surroundings are tinged with emotion, for example the half-moon “bathed the whole scene in a soft, uncertain light” (p. 155) and the roof of the house “floated like a strange ship on a shadowy sea” (p. 155). These emotive touches reveal that the novel belongs to “gothic horror” genre. There are many examples of this uneasy tone, especially when the landscape is described, for example “but behind the peaceful and sunlit country-side there rose ever, dark against the evening sky, the long, gloomy curve of the moor, broken by the jagged and sinister hills.” (p. 58) It is not only the sight, but also the sounds which create this mood, for example: “The melancholy of the moor, the death of the unfortunate pony, the weird sound which had been associated with the grim legend…” (p. 76). Even lifeless objects like standing stones, are depicted as similes with a special meaning for the story: “In the middle of it rose two great stones, worn and sharpened at the upper end, until they looked like the huge, corroding fangs of some monstrous beast.” (p. 77). The main horror element of the book, which is the hound of its title, is thus associated with the landscape and this enhances a feeling of menace throughout the whole the narrative. The scientifically minded Watson collects facts and produces detailed observations for Holmes. Passages like these imaginative descriptions of the creepy landscape are interspersed with more formal narratives, where every effort is made to avoid emotions and use just pure facts, as Watson himself is keen to point out: “From this point onwards I will follow the course of events by transcribing my own letters to Mr Sherlock Holmes which lie before me on the table” (p. 81). In Chapter 14 Watson observes the people in the house, relating this to the reader in a matter of fact tone, and then conveys this information to Holmes. His choice of words for this is significant, “when I had finished my report” (p. 154). Throughout the book Watson’s reports provide the foundation for Holmes’ intellectual activity, and they are presented as letters, complete with date and time, or day by day diary entries which he keeps for his own use. He also makes use of books, newspapers and telegrams and the novel presents word for word quotation, as when he looks up the “Medical Directory” (p. 5) to check up on James Mortimer or reads a telegram from Lestrade (p 142). This technique gives variety to the novel, and provides the reader with all the same evidence that Holmes is given, thus allowing the reader to try and work out the solution to the mystery alongside Holmes. Despite his efforts to be measured and factual, the narrator Watson at times makes use of some quite elaborate literary techniques to evoke the excitement of the live action parts of the book. For example at a moment of high tension he narrates: “I heard the sharp click of a cocking pistol” (p. 156) where the alliteration of the hard “c” resembles the actual pistol sound. A little later he repeats a “d” sound to represent the dread, and the thundering approach of the huge dog: “never in the delirious dream of a disordered brain…” (p. 156). Watson’s emotional involvement comes through in his choice of language, and the reader knows that he is by no means as objective as he pretends to be. In conclusion, therefore, by varying the narrative format and filtering everything through the persona of Watson, Conan Doyle allows the reader to experience the excitement of the chase along with the bare logical facts of the case. Watson’s evident struggle to convey the real emotions that he feels and yet at the same time to please Holmes with his objectivity allows a dual view of both supernatural and natural elements in the story. This in turn allows the book to bring together elements of gothic horror and detective novel, where in the end science wins out over superstition as Sherlock Holmes unravels the mystery. Reference Conan-Doyle, Arthur. The Hound of the Baskervilles. London and New York: Penguin, 1981. Read More