The introductory chapter provides a brief retrospection of the "Sherlock Holmes phenomenon" in Doyle's times and in our days. It also offers some important background information on the rise of detective-mystery stories and the socio-political circumstances that necessitated the emergence of a figure like Holmes in the literary scene.
Chapter 2 elaborates on three different levels of deception in "The Hound of the Baskervilles". On one occasion, deception can be said to be synonymous to superstition because it results from lack of observation or sufficient scientific knowledge in order to explain the inexplicable. This type of deception is classified as such due to the constantly advancing scientific achievements, the questioning and decline of Christian faith during the Victorian era, the triumph of rationality over superstition and the more systematic examination of various peculiar phenomena.
To a certain degree, Doyle represents all these because he is a man of science and knows how to "enlighten" or teach the public of his times by using scientific insights and some far-fetched observations and deductions which are performed by his hero. On another occasion, deception is bound to Watson's narrating style. Finally, the third and most explicit type is part of the story's plot. Holmes, on the one hand, lies to Watson and deceives him in order to confront the upcoming danger in utmost secrecy. There is no evil intention here. On the other hand, Jack Stapleton, who represents an impious fraud and wants to gain for his own sake deceives in order to fulfil his crime. His evil intentions render him the main source of deception by means of disguising himself, his wife and his hound so that they look much different than what they are in reality.
Finally, chapter 3 provides some thoughts and conclusions about reading pleasure and reader expectations, but also some critical "rules" that pertain to the reader's involvement in the story. Those "rules" of the later Golden Age of detective fiction were proposed by famous authors, mainly Father Ronald Knox, Raymond Chandler and S. S. Vine, who talked about 'honesty' to the reader, various aesthetic values and the chance to enable a parallel solving of the mystery along with the detective. Nevertheless, a recent approach to this puzzle-solving aspect shows how impossible it is to solve Conan Doyle's mysteries by following certain clues and to arrive at fixed solutions. Examples are offered.
Table of Contents
Preface
1 Introduction: The Sherlock Holmes Phenomenon
2 The Haunting and Deceiving Text
2.1 Background and Summary
2.2 The Real Curse: Hound or Hoax?
2.3 The Motif of Deception
2.3.1 Deception Level I: The Author’s Deceiving Game
2.3.2 Deception Level II: The ‘Watsonian Narrator’
2.3.3 Deception Level III
2.3.3.1 Holmes and Dr Mortimer’s Walking Stick
2.3.3.2 No Time for Dartmoor
2.3.3.3 Stapleton and his Hound
3 Reading Pleasure
3.1 One of the Game’s Rules: ‘It Must Be Honest with the Reader’
3.2 The Irony Behind the Puzzle-solving Challenge
Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This thesis examines the motif of deception in Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles, exploring how the narrative structure and the author’s writing techniques intentionally mislead both the characters and the reader. The research aims to justify how the blend of detective fiction and Gothic horror sustains suspense through various levels of deception, ultimately demonstrating how scientific rationalism is used to negate supernatural elements.
- The analysis of three distinct levels of deception throughout the novel.
- The impact of the 'Watsonian narrator' on reader perception and expectations.
- The role of Sherlock Holmes’ strategic secrecy and use of disguise.
- The influence of Victorian socio-political factors on the detective-mystery genre.
- The investigation into whether Conan Doyle’s puzzles are designed for reader solution or entertainment.
Excerpt from the Book
2.3 THE MOTIF OF DECEPTION
If we placed the terms truth and lie in the beginning and the end of a straight line, in the space that remains between them it is possible to think of numerous other terms that express the degree to which a certain statement is true or false; e.g. rumour, myth, legend, belief, hoax, uncertainty, misunderstanding, illusion, deception and the like. And then there is, too, the notion of a perspective (the observer), i.e. for whom the statement holds this or that level of truth. Take, for instance, this: ‘a blazing hell-hound lives in Dartmoor’; for whom is it a rumour, for whom a legend and for whom a lie? Or the cabman’s client who stated at the end of the ride: ‘you have been driving Mr. Sherlock Holmes’; or even the book’s misleading title. The title is misleading because it has been chosen to represent a certain perspective that remains unclear, until after we have read the whole story. Namely, it has been associated with the Baskerville curse so that it can aim at the superstitious reader’s background and expectations as a predeclaration of a ghost story, regardless whether it may surprise each reader differently in the end. Also, Watson, even if he is a man of science, tells the story from his perspective, one that favours superstition; but he does this in order to amuse us.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: The Sherlock Holmes Phenomenon: Provides a historical overview of the detective's cultural impact and the rise of detective-mystery fiction in the late nineteenth century.
The Haunting and Deceiving Text: Analyzes the interplay between Gothic elements and rational explanation, categorizing deception into three specific levels ranging from authorial intent to character actions.
Reading Pleasure: Discusses the expectations of the detective fiction reader and whether such stories function as fair intellectual puzzles or primarily as vehicles for entertainment.
Key Keywords
Sherlock Holmes, The Hound of the Baskervilles, Arthur Conan Doyle, Deception, Victorian era, Gothic horror, Detective fiction, Watsonian narrator, Superstition, Rationalism, Disguise, Literary puzzle, Reader expectations, Narrative structure, Science.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this academic work?
The work investigates the multi-layered use of deception in Arthur Conan Doyle's The Hound of the Baskervilles to maintain mystery and suspense.
Which specific themes are prioritized in the analysis?
Central themes include the tension between superstition and scientific rationalism, the reliability of the narrator, and the construction of the 'deceiving' detective story.
What is the primary research question?
The thesis explores how and why Conan Doyle employs deception, both within the plot and through the narrative style, to manipulate the reader's understanding of the story's supernatural elements.
What scientific methods are utilized by the author to analyze the text?
The author employs literary criticism, analysis of narratology, and contextualization within Victorian socio-political history to deconstruct the novel's mechanisms.
What aspects of the novel are examined in the main body?
The main body focuses on the threefold structure of deception: the author's game with the reader, Watson's subjective narration, and the tactical lies/disguises used by Holmes and Stapleton.
Which keywords best encapsulate the paper's focus?
Keywords include detective fiction, deception, Watsonian narrator, rationalism, Gothic horror, and Victorian literature.
How does the narrator, Watson, contribute to the deception?
Watson acts as an internal narrator whose subjective viewpoint and emotional responses favor the supernatural, intentionally leading the reader away from the rational truth.
Why does the author argue that the story is not a solvable logic puzzle?
The author contends that the text lacks sufficient transparent clues and graphic representations, suggesting that Conan Doyle designed the stories primarily for entertainment rather than as fair play 'brain-teasers'.
What is the function of the "levels of deception" framework?
This framework allows the reader to distinguish between authorial meta-deception, narrative-driven deception through the narrator, and plot-based deception involving character choices.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Dipl. Archäologe / B. Ed. Michael Barkas (Autor:in), 2017, Leading the Story via Misleading. Levels of Deception in "The Hound of the Baskervilles" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/386176
