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Ivy Lu Dr. Lynda Haas Writing 37 12 February 2014 Death is at the Moor Mystery stories are in a category of their own: containing many components including the detective, criminal, victim, clues, and crime scene. However, as audiences read or watch detective mystery stories, they tend to put the setting as the background when the setting never really stops informing us, [it is always] astir, alive, changing, [and] reflecting according to G.J. Demkos Landscapes of Crime. The moor in Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle, is important during the night because nothing would induce [anyone] to go out upon the moor at night (Doyle Loc 1096), telling the audience the possible dangers that lurk during this specific time. Arthur Conan Doyle emphasizes the importance of the setting as a character by utilizing the traits of the moor to foreshadow dark events such as the mishaps that occur to the inhabitants of Devonshire. Throughout the Hound of the Baskervilles the moor slowly emerges as a new fearsome character. There is a legend about a supernatural hound that haunts the Baskerville family. Sir Charles, a victim of this hound, had died and Sir Henry, the next heir of the Baskerville mansion, is required to make a trip to Devonshire to settle the assets. As Sir Henry and Watson approach Baskerville manor they see rolling pasture lands curved upwardold gabled houses peeped out from amid the thick green foliage, but behind the peaceful and sunlit country-side there rose [a] gloomy curve of the moor, broken by the jagged and sinister hills(Loc 1710) quickly changing from a green lively pasture to a desolate land. Doyles uses comparing and contrasting

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details of the moor and countryside to signal the turn of events that are to come. The rolling pasture is Sir Henrys journey then suddenly jagged and sinister hills disrupt the peace almost promising misfortune. To begin with, the moor was simply a location but soon it started to form human traits. Constantly described as desolate and barren the moor has a cold and mean demeanor. The way the spirit of the moor sink[s] into ones soul (Loc 2041) gives the characters as well as the audience the feeling that the moor is a haunting ghost. Spirits are associated with supernatural ideas such as ghosts, and demons indicating that the moor is an evil being that exists amongst the characters. In the meantime, the moor quickly develops a mysterious personality. This trait is evident when Holmes and Watson are reunited on the moor and they were gathering clues while stopped by a dreadful cry. They follow the sound but the shadows were thick upon the moor (Loc 2903) making them unable to see clearly. The syntax the author uses gives the moor a supernatural trait where it can control view of anyone trapped within. The shadows foreshadow a death because in all murder cases the murderer always attempts to hide the body or hiding it in the shadows. In addition to the mysterious personality, the moors dark character expands and becomes a murderer. In the past the moor has killed wild animals that inhabit Grimben Mire however, Holmes and Watson make it assumable the moor killed someone because there was no chance in finding footsteps in the mire (loc 3347) and they could not find Stapleton anywhere else. The moor already built a foundation of traits of a murderer and now that Holmes and Watson cannot find Stapletons footsteps it is presumable that the moor killed him. The moor is able to hide the

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evidence of the footsteps by using the mud that oozes over the tracks and also capturing the person stepping in it. In the end the real culprit behind the hounds hauntings was Stapleton but little did the audience expect the criminal meets his end by the setting. No matter how small a characters role is they are all important. A carriage driver or the environment itself can provide detailed information about the tale because a setting well managedcan indeed be an important part of the plot and contribute to the action greatly (Demko Landscapes of a Crime Scene). Especially in mystery genres that require the audience to use their brain and solve the case, the background can contribute countless information such as clues in a crime scene even hint on what will happen next. Hound of the Baskervilles makes use of their setting to support the case and detective by creating a mysterious atmosphere that allows the audience to foreshadow events to come. The diction and syntax Doyle uses to describe the moor allows the reader to predict what will happen next. Without this convention it will be difficult for the audience to understand the situation as it happens.

Works Cited Demko, George J. "Defining Place in Crime Fiction." Defining Place in Crime Fiction. N.p., 24 June 2007. Web. 12 Feb. 2014. Doyle, Arthur Conan. Sherlock Holmes - The Hound of the Baskervilles. New York: Dell, 1964. Print.