How Does Sir Arthur Conan Doyle engage the reader free essay sample

How does Sir Arthur Conan Doyle engage the reader? From analysing the texts written by Doyle, arguably the greatest writer of detective novels, we can see that he has a number of key elements to every story that engages the reader. The first, most noticeable, is that there is a strong central character, in this case it is Sherlock Holmes. The sharp-featured, pipe-smoking, deerstalker-hat-wearing detective is one who likes to look into things into detail using of course his cunning wit that is customary to all good detectives. A format that is so effective in engaging the reader that it is now often seen in many detective novels, movies and comics. Watson talks of Holmes in A Scandal in Bohemia ‘They were admirable things for the observer—excellent for drawing the veil from men’s motives and actions. But for the trained reasoned to admit such intrusions into his own delicate and finely adjusted temperament was to introduce a distracting factor which might throw a d oubt upon all his mental results,’ showing that Holmes is a man built on pride, someone confident and believes in his own abilities. We will write a custom essay sample on How Does Sir Arthur Conan Doyle engage the reader? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page But how is this going to intrigue the reader? Because he is what we need. We as readers feel the need of someone so cunning, so dexterous to relieve us of our current troubles. We as readers love to believe that is someone is above us, someone who can solve problems. Why did Doyle present him as a male character? We need a man to show his authority, but also having a man it is easier to show one major character flaw- relationships. Women, they’re fine, put them in a room for 3 minutes and they’ll come out with handful of friends whom they never really want to talk to, but feel the need to. Men, especially Holmes, have trouble make relationships and throughout the stories we enjoy relating his troubles to ours. In the case of Sherlock Holmes stories, a credible secondary character is what we all look forward to. Dr Watson, a man of literature but lacks that cutting-edge intelligence and deduction. This can be shown in the beginning of the Scandal in Bohemia where Holmes and Watson have a short discussion of how many steps there are on the stairs. Holmes says ‘You see but you do not observe. The distinction is clear. you have frequently seen the steps which lead up from the hall to this room Then how many are there?’ Watson replies ‘How many? I don’t know’. But there is more to Watson than meets the eye. Watson represents a bridge between Holmes and the reader. He narrates exactly the same confusion, the same thoughts that we feel as we are going along the mystery. What readers also enjoy is that there is a dangerous adversary character with whom the hero is in conflict. Perhaps one of the most noticeable adversaries was Dr Roylott. He intimidates and frightens us which is evident in his appearance, ‘A large face, seared with a thousand wrinkles, burned yellow with the sun, and marked with every evil passion’. Now, Doyle didn’t just randomly put the character in because he felt like it; he had an intention. Everyone finds an old man who they are slightly scared of, because of their intelligence and personality. We, as readers, think of Dr Roylott as someone who can commit a crime. He’s dressed in black, the colour of death; he’s tall and strong, like an undertaker. We as readers are immediately suspicious of him and is this suspicion that leads us reading on, wanting to find out Dr Roylott’s true intentions. The structure itself is very important to engage the reader. A plot which has a number of twists to surprise the reader at various stages of the narrative is one of the main structural features. Throughout Doyle’s stories we are constantly encountering new and wonderful twists. How does this engage the reader? We as humans, need these twists to make life more exciting. The people that love to read these books the most are those who take part in exciting things the least. Therefore, it is a means of thrilling your own mind, without having to t ake part in any activity. A means of thrilling yourself that may not be possible in the real world. Furthermore to engage the reader a mood of suspense is required. In the Hound of the Baskervilles the story Plot itself is the most important element making Suspense by The Story of remarkable fictional hound. Then the words describe the Hound itself and land of Baskerville was effective. In some places also the tone of the narrating the story from Dr Watson was a little makes the air of the story strange. Again, we love to encounter a sudden shock because of what is stated previously and suspense leads us into a state where it is easier for the author to scare us. Although we many not think of it like that, that is why we read books, to become scared. Lastly, to engage the reader, Doyle has a surprise or an unexpected ending whereby the protagonist solves the problem. It is seen in all of the Sherlock Holmes stories, where Holmes somehow solves the mystery. In the Speckled Band Dr Wa tson states how Holmes came to his conclusion, â€Å"â€Å"I had,† said he, â€Å"come to an entirely erroneous conclusion which shows, my dear Watson Then I thought of the whistle. Of course he must recall the snake before the morning light revealed it to the victim.† This short passage shows the typical why in which a mystery is solved, using several hints along the way, the main detective can deduce from the obvious and state the culprit. So how is this going to engage the reader? What we as humans aren’t capable of doing is making our lives perfect. We can’t always solve the problem by finding out things by ourselves. We wait until the culprit has confessed, or there is at least some rock-solid evidence. Unlike Holmes, we go by the facts alone, where as the man from Baker Street uses his instinct as well as looking at the evidence. We instantly look up to Holmes as role model, therefore we read own so that we can incorporate his attributes into our e veryday lives. We want our lives to be like Holmes’ so that we can solve mysteries. Perhaps that was what Doyle had the intention of doing. He wanted to tell us that we need to believe in our instincts more. Whatever it is, we as the reader certainly couldn’t put the book down. To further emphasise the role of relationships in such stories. It is evident in a Scandal in Bohemia that Sherlock has an awkward relationship with Irene Adler. He doesn’t want to express it; she knows he can’t show it. Sherlock is constantly in such situations, his exuberant personality and well-known sense of adventure is almost contradictory to his inability to cooperate with the other sex. We as readers especially enjoy this as post-puberty human-beings people experience such problems. We would rather see our hero, who is so perfect in everything he does, experience problems with their love life than for us to actually make a complete fool of ourselves in front of women. It al so means that we as men can understand the opposite sex. We know how they feel, if we do something strange. How they feel, after we do something good. How they feel in general. We are also engrossed in the story as we develop an emotional connection with Watson. He narrates the story so we are constantly hearing his thoughts. Sooner or later you start sharing the same point of view, that sense of confusion and curiosity as to what Holmes is or will do. This means that we, in a way, become a secondary character. We are also trying to find clues like Sherlock, we are also trying to catch thieves like Sherlock, we are trying to ultimately be good like Sherlock. We are co-existent with the story. Sherlock needs us and Watson to find these clues. It also gives us a sense of assurance that we have a superior character to us to rely on if something were to happen. We therefore go along and read the story as we know, without a doubt, that Sherlock will solve the problem but that sense of yo u solving the mystery alongside him gives you a sense of pride. Making you feel confident and follow Sherlock on many more adventures. The tone of the story also engages us as a reader. It is a polite yet formal and higher-class use of language. Making you feel that you have to be literate or well educated to read the story. Indeed when you read the story, you yourself feel as educated as Watson or Holmes. The sense of superiority, not to the characters in the book, but to the characters outside in the real world. This in turn makes other’s read more, and therefore you feel the urge to reed on aswell. Nobody likes loosing or being called the weaker being. We as readers are enforced by ourselves, by our inability to lose to other beings, to read the story. The typical human nature is ultimately what Sir Arthur Conan Doyle relies on to engage the reader.

Characters and Themes in Water by the Spoonful

Characters and Themes in Water by the Spoonful Water by the Spoonful  is a play written by Quiara Alegria Hudes. The second part of a trilogy, this drama depicts the everyday struggles of several people. Some are tied together by family, while others are tied through their addictions. The first portion of Hudess trilogy is titled Elliot, A Soldiers Fugue  (2007).Water by the Spoonful  won the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.The final part of the cycle, The Happiest Song Plays Last, premiered in the spring of 2013. Quiara Alegria Hudes has been a rapidly rising star in the playwright community since the early 2000s. After achieving accolades and awards in regional theaters, she entered a more global spotlight with In the Heights, a Tony Award-winning musical for which she wrote the book. The Basic Plot At first, Water by the Spoonful  seems to be set in two different worlds, with two different storylines. The first setting is our everyday world of work and family. In that storyline, young Iraq War veteran Elliot Ortiz deals with a terminally ill parent, a nowhere job at a sandwich shop, and a burgeoning career in modeling. All of this is intensified by recurring memories (ghostly hallucinations) of a man he killed during the war. The second storyline takes place online. Recovering drug addicts interact in an internet forum that has been created by Odessa, Elliots birth mother (although the audience does not learn her identity for a few scenes). In the chat room, Odessa goes by her username HaikuMom. Although she may have failed as a mother in real life, she becomes an inspiration to ex-crack-heads hoping for a new chance. The online inhabitants include: Orangutan: a junkie whose road to recovery has led her in search of her birth parents who live somewhere.ChutesLadders: a recovering drug addict who maintains close online connections, but has yet to take them to the next level off-line.Fountainhead: is the newest member to join the group, but his naivetà © and arrogance at first repulse the online community. Honest self-reflection is demanded before recovery can begin. Fountainhead, a once successful businessman who hides his addiction from his wife, has a hard time being honest with anyone- especially himself. The Main Characters The most invigorating aspect of Hudess play is that although each a character is deeply flawed, the spirit of hope lurks within every tormented heart. Spoiler Alert: Some of the scripts surprises will be given away as we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each character. Elliot Ortiz:  Throughout the play, usually during quiet moments of reflection, a ghost for the Iraq War visits Elliot, echoing words in Arabic. It is implied that Elliot killed this person during the war  and that the Arabic words may have been the last thing spoken before the man was shot. At the beginning of the play, Elliot learns that the man he killed was simply asking for his passport, suggesting that Elliot may have killed an innocent man. In addition to this mental hardship, Elliot still grapples with the physical effects of his war wound, an injury that leaves him with a limp. His months of physical therapy and four different surgeries led to an addiction to painkillers. On top of those hardships, Elliot also deals with the death of Ginny, his biological aunt and adoptive mother. When she dies, Elliot becomes bitter and frustrated. He wonders why Ginny, a selfless, nurturing parent died while Odessa Ortiz, his recklessly neglectful birth mother, remains alive. Elliot reveals his strength throughout the second half of the play as he comes to terms with loss and finds the capacity to forgive. Odessa Ortiz:  In the eyes of her fellow recovering addicts, Odessa (aka, HaikuMom) appears saintly. She encourages empathy and patience within others. She censors profanity, anger, and hateful comments from her online forum. And she doesnt turn away from pompous newcomers such as Fountainhead but instead welcomes all lost souls to her internet community. She has been drug-free for over five years. When Elliot aggressively confronts her, demanding that she pay for the floral arrangement at the funeral, Odessa is at first perceived as a victim and Elliot as the callous, verbal abuser. Meaning of the Title However, when we learn of Odessas back story, we learn how her addiction ravaged not only her life but the lives of her family. The play gets its title Water by the Spoonful  from one of Elliots earliest memories. When he was a little boy, he and his younger sister were gravely ill. The doctor instructed Odessa to keep the children hydrated by giving them one spoonful of water every five minutes. At first, Odessa followed the instructions. But her devotion did not last for long. Compelled to leave in search of her next drug fix, she abandoned her children, leaving them locked in their home until the authorities knocked down the door. By that time, Odessas 2-year-old daughter had died of dehydration. After being confronted with the memories of her past, Odessa tells Elliot to sell her only possession of value: her computer, her key to ongoing recovery. After she gives that up, she returns once again to drug abuse. She overdoses, verging on the brink of death. Yet even then, all is not lost. She manages to hang onto life, Elliot realizes that despite her terrible life choices, he still cares for her, and Fountainhead (the addict who seemed beyond help) stays by Odessas side, endeavoring to steer them into the waters of redemption.

Managing Employee Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Managing Employee Relations - Essay Example With regards to maintaining a working and mobile corporate structure, EIP has been playing an active influential role for the companies. In other words, the above discussed idea tends to maintain the working balance within different corporate organisations (Apostolou, 2000, pp. 21-23). Observably, EIP is held accountable for stabilising corporate order by providing effective guidelines and developing individuals’ behaviours. This particular approach has often been advantageous for organisations to attain their respective goals along with objectives by strengthening decision-making procedures and utilising the available resources effectively. The efforts of individual employees and inputs are highly regarded as important elements that help in attaining the fundamental objectives of the firms and enabling them to grow in an efficient manner. Additionally, EIP is not only an important part as per the industrial context, but also contributes in the development of the overall economy (Holden, n.d., pp. 560-563). With this concern in mind, the prime intent of this essay is to argue about the fact that EIP fundamentally intends to weaken the collective will of the workers by individualising their respective actions and also aligning them with the goals of the employers. Moreover, the essay also discusses the disadvantageous factors involved with the notion of EIP that might impose negative impacts over the working process of the employees as well as the performance of the organisations in order to argue the aforesaid fact (West Virginia Department of Health and Human Sources, 2014, pp. 1-2). It is strongly believed that with the rise in globalisation and internationalisation, the value of employment has raised gradually. Justifiably, the companies have started valuing the involvement of employees in their operational procedures, mostly related to decision-making.