Comparison of Novels “Adventures of Speckled Band” Vs “Murder of Roger Ackroyd”

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After I finished reading "The Adventures of the Speckled Band," I could not help but notice the number of similarities it had with the novel "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd." However, there were many comparisons between both novels from the style of cases, style of investigation, and format. The most apparent similarity for me was the detectives. And also side characters. The detective Hercule Poirot was almost as if he was a more refined Sherlock Holmes. He copies him in personality to even investigation style. Also noticed a similarity between authors and the way they set up their novels with clues right in front of you.

From beginning to end, the book "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd" resounded the Sherlock Holmes short story "The Adventure of the Speckled Band"; the characters and voice of the storyteller were both suggestive of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's works; Hercule Poirot was an overstated rendition of Holmes. He was considerably a bigger outcast than Holmes, questioned for being an outsider, ridiculed for his arrogance, and another newcomer to the town.

Along these lines, similar to Holmes, he utilized the influence of his insight to drive every other person into the outside by not disclosing to them his intuition until he made his sensational discoveries. Likewise, similar to Holmes, he frequently bragged about his high-level skill of perception and the mediocrity of other characters. Also, Poirot was, to a certain degree, some kind of a vigilante. He took his own way, regardless of whether or not he was sticking to the book. This is seen when he uses his tactic of manipulation to get people to say what he wants, which I personally think is Poirot's strong susuithen compared to Holmes, who is better in the observation department.

In any case, it's not simply Poirot's activities that helped me to distinguish the similarities between both stories. His sidekicks, not just the one he works with (Dr. Sheppard) yet additionally his past partner of whom he thinks back (Captain Hastings), likewise act so much like Dr. Watson. Dr. Sheppard even said in the book, 'so I will play Watson to his Sherlock.' Both Captain Hastings and Dr. Sheppard kept composed records of Poirot's cases and supported him in all the manners in which he requested that they, even in moments they didn't understand why, again a mirror image of Dr. Watson. Moreover, the novel itself was composed from the point of view of Dr. Sheppard, similar to the entirety of the Holmes short story. The last very evident closeness between the characters was that both Holmes and Poirot were beginners while both Watson and Sheppard were specialists.

The authors in both novels set up their novels very similarly in a way where they let the reader be able to find little subtle clues that make more sense as the novel progresses. The authors don't want the reader to never catch on but instead make the reader pay attention more to details to then conduct their own conclusions. This is seen taking place in "The Adventure of Speckled Band" when Doyle reveals the victim, Julia Stoner, having two individual marks on her neck, implying that a snake bite is what killed her. While on the other hand, the handkerchief is meant to throw off the reader and mislead them somewhere else.

Once again not completely cover all the clues but shows us just enough to be able to figure it out. And when the book ends, the reader is able to make sense of all of it and appreciate the writer's work, and not feel frustrated with the ending. An example of this tactic is seen taking place in "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd" when Dr. Sheperd tells the detective that he heard the clock strike at nine o'clock. Then proceeds to take ten minutes to walk a distance that can be covered in two. This clue right away shows us that he took more time than he should have.

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Comparison of novels “Adventures of Speckled Band” vs “Murder of Roger Ackroyd”. (2023, Mar 09). Retrieved December 11, 2024 , from
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