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Prose Study Coursework: five Victorian short stories

Examine the settings the writers have chosen in 'The Man with the Twisted Lip', 'The Red Room', 'The Signalman', Napoleon and the Spectre', and 'The Old Nurse's Story'. How do the effects achieved by the writers contribute to the atmosphere of the stories?

Edgar Allan Poe was said to be the first to define a set of rules for short stories.

These were: "- It must create a single impression

- It should be capable of being read at a single setting

- Not a word must be irrelevant, for every word must contribute to the predesigned - total effect of the author

- Even the opening sentence must initiate this predesigned effect and be developed - unswervingly through the story

- When the author achieves the climax, the story should end, with no further - explanation or secondary effects

- Only characters that are absolutely essential to the predesigned effect should be - introduced, and these only developed to the extent required by the story".

I find these guidelines useful as this helps me determine what to look for and expect to find in a short story. Also this can help the author in many ways to construct their story in this genre. If the author follows these guidelines and by their own effects and techniques, they can achieve a successful and popular short story. The last rule of Poe's definition is that "only the characters are essential in the short story", but in the five short stories "The Man with the Twisted Lip" (by Arthur Conan- Doyle), "The Red Room" (by H.G.Wells), "The Signalman" (by Charles Dickens), "Napoleon and the Spectre" (by Charlotte Bronte) and "The Old Nurse's Story" (by Elizabeth Gaskell), the writers use the effect of atmospheric settings to achieve a climax in the story and keep the reader interested. It is vital that the author keeps the reader interested in these stories as they are short and must be capable of being read at one sitting, therefore the short story needs to be to the readers likeness and taste for it to be read. The five authors do this well by their own use of techniques.

Sir Arthur Conan- Doyle's technique in "The man with the Twisted Lip", is mainly focused on the setting of the opium dens, the characters (mainly Sherlock Holmes) and by his uses of language. Conan- Doyle was best known as the creator of Sherlock Holmes, the best known detective stories in literature and the embodiment of sharp reasons. Doyle himself was not a good example of rational personality as he believed in fairies and was interested in occultism, however he did write famous and successful short stories. After 1927 Doyle added to his collection of short stories about Sherlock Holmes, his favourite being " Silver Blaze" and "The adventure of the Bruce Parington Plans", however i an examining "The man with the Twisted Lip", of which came fourth favourite.

Conan- Doyle chooses to set the story in the lower class parts of London where the working people of Victorian times would live, but he chooses a specific hide out- opium dens. Opium dens were very common in Victorian times, for the were used for social gatherings. It is thought that five percent of lower class people used opium, as it was an alternative to alcohol and perhaps preferable as it did not lead to violence and could even prove to be highly profitable- if they were a dealer.

The setting and the atmosphere on the opium den is "thick and heavy", causing an influence and a hint of mystery. This is the first effect that Conan- Doyle uses to build tension in the readers mind.

Another effect that Conan- Doyle achieves is through his use of language. He writes in a way which sets the scene and the atmosphere created by opium dens. The words "flickering lamp" makes the reader think that something unexpected is about to occur because this is associated with a murder prevailing. Usually lights flickering is normally due to the presence of a spirit or a murder, making the reader tense with nerves. Also, "Black gap like the mouth of a cave", gives a sense of fear, as black represents death and evil. The word "cave" suggests a sense of death again and claustrophobia. Conan- Doyle also uses similes to good effect as he describes the opium dens as a "low room, thick and heavy with the brown opium smoke and terrace with wooden birth, like the forecastle of an emigrant ship". This gets into the readers imagination, the atmospheres that opium creates in a small, enclosed room. He uses the simile to describe an opium den like a "forecastle of an emigrant ship", suggesting this is a small place which one would prefer mot to be withheld in.

Conan- Doyle uses the characters at the beginning of the story to create the effect that Dr Watson (Sherlock Holmes's sidekick) is telling the story to the reader. The effect from Watson telling the story from his own perspective, is that it gives the reader the plot, setting and also it tells the story from Sherlock Holmes's perspective. This makes them trusted characters and Neville St. Clair the untrustworthy character. Also, at the beginning of the story there is a slight clue for the reader that Hugh Boone is playing the role as Neville St. Clair, as High Boone - a respectable middle class citizen- enters an opium den and their appearance and personality are similar. We feel this, as it seems strange that a middle class, respectable person enters a dirty, ignoble place which would be associated with the poor, lower class citizens who where classed as peasants. The only solution that would instantly come to mind, is that there will be a twist along the line, but that twist is unclear, and therefore the reader reads on to try and located more clues to solve the mystery.

Before writing articles, stories and novels, H.G. Wells worked as a schoolteacher. His interest in science led him to write his best read novel "The war of the worlds", where he combines science and romance to invent a futuristic society. He also combined his writing with his socialism, which gave him the knowledge to write about possible utopias (perfect future societies)

At the beginning of the "The Red Room", there is a mysterious scene which produces imminently an image in the reader's

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