Comparison of ‘The Speckled Band’ and ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ Essay

In this essay I will be comparing the two stories ‘The Speckled Band’ by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ by Roald Dahl. ‘The Speckled Band’ was written in 1892.This was in The Victorian Period when people had very little faith in the Police and Conan Doyle needed to create a Detective who always got everything right so that the public started to believe the Police could actually get it right. It was first published in a magazine called â€Å"The Strand† in weekly episodes so to a certain extent he needed to keep his readers interested as well which is why the plot is so complicated. The plot is about a woman called Helen Stoner who is going to get married, but someone or something murders her sister who also was supposed to get married. Helen Stoner goes to see Sherlock Holmes to see if he can help solve the crime. The plot is full of twists and red herrings that is up to the reader to try and solve as they go along but as always Sherlock Holmes works out the significance of everything and solves the crime. ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ was written in 1954by Roald Dahl. This story was also published in a magazine called â€Å"Harpers† but was written to be read in one go so it does not have the complicated layout of Conan Doyles story. Instead the reader knows exactly what is going on form the start of the story and the ending is shocking and designed to entertain and horrify. It was written by Dahl to show how women at the time were a lot more powerful than the men gave them credit for and should be respected more than being at home , pregnant. The plot is about a modern couple that seem to be falling out. Mary Maloney is the perfect 1950’s housewife who makes dinner and cleans, but one day when her husband (Patrick Maloney) comes home from work they have an argument. Mary loses her temper with Patrick and hits him over the head with a leg of lamb and accidentally kills him. In a panic she phones the police and puts the leg of lamb in the oven to cook for dinner. When the police arrive she persuades them to eat the lamb because it would be a waste of food. In the end the police eat the evidence and Mary didn’t get caught. Dahl uses comic irony at the end to engage the reader as Mary sits there laughing about what she has done; you don’t imagine her to do this as a middle class housewife. The times that these stories are set in are both very different. Like travel, in ‘The Speckled Band’. They travel by horse and cart but in ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ trey use car or foot just like in the modern day. For communication the people in 1892 would have to write or go and see the person they wanted to talk to but in 1954 they would have used the telephone. Also in 1892 they did not have much electricity so they used candles instead of light, whereas in 1954 they had lots of electricity. In 1892 the women would have worn veils and long skirts but in 1954 they would have they would have worn jeans, t-shirt etc. in 1892 rich families would lived in large houses with servants but in the modern day most families are middle classed and do not have the money for servants etc. When there was an enquiry in 1892 the detectives would have had to use their own knowledge to solve crimes but in 1954 they would use fingerprints, evidence etc to solve the crimes. The language used in ‘The Speckled Band’ was old fashioned and very formal like when Sherlock Holmes says â€Å"Very sorry to knock you up Watson, † said he, â€Å"but it’s the common lot this morning.† He also says things like â€Å"Mrs Hudson has been knocked up, she reported upon me, and I on you.† This isn’t the kind of language we would use in the modern day and proves that it is set in 1892. However in ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ there was a lot of slang and it was not as formal. Like when Mary says â€Å"Hullo darling.† And † Hullo Sam† to the grocer. However the way she speaks to Sam the grocer proves it was set in the 1950’s and not in any other time because we would not know the person in the corner shops first name today but it was common in the 1950’s to be friendly with them. In ‘The Speckled Band’ Sherlock Holmes is the main character. He is a famous detective and solves difficult cases. Conan Doyle invented him because people in the Victorian times were fed with the fact that the police could not solve any crimes and he wanted a character that always got everything right. However in ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ there were police who are good at solving cases but wouldn’t be able to solve them without any evidence and they are very arrogant and treat Mary as a silly woman when in fact she is the person who has tricked them and been the murderer. Dahl does this to shock his readers and make it even more dramatic which Conan Doyle would not want to do because they needed to trust their detective! In ‘The Speckled Band’ the killer was a snake that had been hypnotised by Helen Stoner’s stepfather, but all the way through the story he is a suspect and he acts suspiciously like when Helen goes to visit Sherlock Holmes to tell him what has been going on, shortly after she leaves her stepfather came in asking if she has been here. It seemed like he had something to hide, but in the end it had nothing to do with him. In ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ Mary seems like a nice, gentle woman who feels that she has to help out. Like when she says, â€Å"Darling, shall I get your slippers?† but after the police eat the evidence she laughs so I think he whole issue hade made her go a bit insane. At the beginning of the story you didn’t expect it from her because she just seems like a normal, average wife like when it said about ‘She took his coat and hung it in the closet.’ and when it said ‘She was sat back again in her chair with the sewing.’ The scene seems too realistic for something bad to happen. In ‘The Speckled Band’ the victim was Helen Stoner’s sister because there was nothing anyone could do to save her; this made the readers feel very sorry for her. The next victim was Helen Stoner and because nobody knew what killed her sister it seemed that she needed protection. I would expect someone like her to be the next victim because she is a woman who has done nothing wrong and is innocent. I don’t think her or her sister deserved to be the victims because they are both just happy and normal people. In ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ you don’t feel sorry for Patrick because he is being horrible to Mary and you feel automatically on her side from the beginning. I think he deserved to be upset but not killed because they are just having a falling out. ‘The Speckled Band’ is set in Stoke Moran, which is Helen’s stepfather house. Sherlock Holmes is investigating the house. I think it is a good setting for a murder to take place and because it’s a very big house which makes it creepier for the reader because you don’t know what is doing the killings. ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ is set in Mary Maloney’s house. I think the way the author has described it makes it sound very realistic, like when he says, â€Å"The room was warm and clean, the curtains drawn, the two table lamps alight.† This makes the room sound cosy and like it really exists. You can really picture the scenery. I also think it’s a good setting for a murder because you can imagine it happening there. I think I would expect it because so many crimes in real life have been taken place in houses. Out of the two stories I preferred ‘Lamb to the Slaughter’ because it is easier to understand and keeps you interested all the way though with the description it uses. I disliked the other story because the speaking parts dragged on to long and I did really just want to get on and find out what happens.

Catering as a Stand-Alone Business Research Proposal

Catering as a Stand-Alone Business - Research Proposal Example In starting up a business, there is always the need to get to carry out a very comprehensive research on the various industries. Indeed, it is the research that may help in coming up with the best choice from the array of options that may be at stake. Once on settles on a specific industry, they still have to dig deep on the various tricks and crucial steps to making it in the industry. After an analysis of the available avenues for the choice of business, this is an already established, though small, catering company. In carrying out the research, the analysis of the trends in the industry will be taken into consideration. This will come in terms of the positioning of the company within the market, its key rivals and the possible areas that seem of great threat to the company. This will also help in the formulation of the best strategies by the company so that it may raise its market share. The chosen business is in the catering industry. Catering: as a process, is defined as the provision of beverages and foodstuffs for events. As a business, it deals with the provision of food services from and at various locations (Jacob 2013, 7). Unlike hotels, catering services are mobile; hence, the advantage over hotels in the food industry. The catering process comes in many forms (The Mirror 2011, 9). For the mobile catering, the food is mainly served from vehicles, trucks or carts that are designed for serving food. Catering comes in a full range of events, such as; business meetings, exhibitions, conferences, weddings, special events and other social occasions. The caterers, as well as their staff, form a very crucial part of the foodservice industry. The services provided are dependent on the event. These include; cooking and delivery of food to s remote location, cooking, food delivery, and service, or a full range of the service.  

The Dimensions of Inter-Professional Practice Essay

The Dimensions of Inter-Professional Practice - Essay Example The role of inter professional practice protective meal times in UK hospitals The term protected mealtimes can be described to imply periods within the hospital setting when there are completely no urgent issues or activities at hand. During these times, patients are able to take their meals without interruption and staffs are readily available to offer help to those who need it. Research shows that patients whose mealtimes are protected eat more and are better nourished with improved chances of recovery. Protected meal times can influence achievement of benchmarks including conducive environment, assistance to eat and drink, obtaining food, and food presentation, monitoring, and eating to promote health. Older people admitted to hospital have malnutrition on arrival and most of them are at risk of becoming malnourished or their current nutritional state worsening in hospital, if precautions are not taken. Facilitation of protected meal times Inter-professional working team should fa cilitate implementation of protected mealtimes through the following ways. First, is by ensuring that patients are served with all the three basic meals of breakfast, lunch and dinner. They have to follow each mealtime with a one hour rest period for interaction with visitors, relatives and supporters. The team should also alter the drug delivery time so that patients are given food only after taking their meals and allowed to have enough rest. No other activity should be scheduled during mealtimes to ensure that all patients dedicate their time to meals and no other business. The team should plan to enhance service delivery by recommending a balanced diet and enhancing availability of patient assistants to offer services to patients who are not able to eat by themselves or in need varying assistance. The team should recommend that an audit be carried out after every two weeks to verify whether these rules and procedures of protected meal times are being followed (Rolfe, Freshwater & Jasper 2001). The following measures will be taken by our inter-professional team: There should be medical staff moving rounds, radiology focusing lunchtime slots on other areas, nurse routine- nurses want to get everything done, junior staff reluctant to challenge visitors and staff. The areas intended to put more emphasis include surgical areas, considering how protected mealtimes will interact with theatre lists, and wards which have greater impact on other departments like radiology. This should be followed by an audit to measure and review success in all these areas. There should be an arranged meeting with the hospital management to collaborate and ensure that the whole process is implemented. The unique role of the Inter-professional officials in the Inter-Professional Practice team is both individual and collective in that it takes one’s own conviction and commitment compounded by knowledge and professional experience to mould together with others like minded profes sional colleagues in order to achieve a set collective objective; which in our context is superior delivery of service in protected

Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca - Essay Example Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca landed on the shores of Cuba. Next, the Spanish sailor traveled by sea towards the sunny beaches of Florida. Next, Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca’s reached the shores of the Mississippi river. Next, the sailor landed in Galvestan, United States. Finally, the famous sailor slowly but surely reached Mexico and Veracruz, as expected, the sailor’s voyage was wrought with dangers. Hurricanes were a normally sight. Many of Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca’s sailor died while trying to prevent the hurricanes from capsizing the boat. An estimated 13 sailors were able to make it to Land. The sailors landed on the shores of the Colorado River. The few survivors were able conquer the harsh nature of the rapid waters of the Colorado River. As expected, only four men remained alive during the travel. The four survivors included Alonso Maldonado and Cabeza de Baca. The other survivors included the Estevanico and Carranza. While in the United States, the Spanish travelers were able to see the huge American buffalo (Adorno 11) While in the United States, the group was able meet the other Spanish group in Culian Can during the adventurous year of 1536. The group was converse with the Mexico City officer, its governor. The sailors conversed with the Indian residents in the place. After several years, Cabeza de Vaca was able to travel back to his native land, Spain. Upon arriving in his native country, Cabeza de Vaca focused his attention to writing books. With his writing prowess, Cabeza de Vaca was able to inspire other fellow Spanish sailors to travel abroad. The other Spanish sailors included Hernando de Soto as well as Francisco Vasquez de Coronado (Pautz, 4). Upon reaching the United States, Cabeza de Vaca was able to write a very popular book (Favata 43). The book was entitled seven cities of Cbola. Cabeza de Vaca wrote about the life in the Indies. When he was in his Indies, he would love travel form one community to

Forensic Anthropology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Forensic Anthropology - Essay Example Having understood the two, it is then necessary to draw a link between the two or evaluate all the possible relationships between the two. It will also be imperative to reckon that a marriage between the two possible brings forth what is commonly termed as forensic anthropology. This paper seeks to show how biological anthropologist assist with a forensic investigation besides identification of individuals. The paper starts first by understanding what forensic is, then moves on to define anthropology and forensic anthropology then shows how anthropology can aid in forensics. The term forensic refers to the application of scientific knowledge in a bid to solve legal problems and enable the smooth running of legal proceedings (Bartol, 2004: p8). As such, any profession that uses scientific knowledge aids bin forensics and this explains the existence of such terms as forensic anthropology, forensic medicine, forensic science, forensic experts etc. Forensic comes from a Latin word "forensic" which means relating to a forum and forum in this case which according to the ancient Rome was a market place where people congregated to conduct all sorts of business as well as public affairs. As time went on, the term forensic was limited to reference of the courts of law thus entering English use in 1659 with that very meaning. Therefore, forensic refers to law problems or issues which are solved by the application of scientific knowledge. The word anthrop... Human beings and their ancestors are studied in terms of the physical characteristics, social and environmental relations and culture. Main concern of anthropology is the origin of the present homosapien's, ancestors, evolutionary development etc. As such, anthropologists study the skeletons, DNA, tools, etc of the modern man's ancestors to locate the origin of the present day behaviours and culture. Thus, the common questions asked by the anthropologists include but are not limited to: 1 What defines human beings 2 Who are the ancestors of modern human beings 3 What are the human physical traits 4 How do human beings behave 5 Why the differences and variations among the human beings 6 How has the evolutionary past human beings influenced both the culture and social organization These are just but examples of questions asked by anthropologists and have been used to offer a rough estimation of the scope of anthropology. The modern anthropology borrows extensively from both the humanities and natural sciences such as biology and chemistry. The modern anthropologists have specialized in technical subfields which have found wider applications both within and without the scope of anthropology. What is Forensic Anthropology Basically, forensic anthropology is the application of anthropology in forensics. It is simply the marriage between anthropology and forensics. Generally, forensic anthropology is the assessment of the skeletal remains of human beings on behalf of the law enforcers in a bid to establish the identity of the bones (Klepinger, 2006: p3). Anthropology is wide and is divided into linguistic anthropology, cultural anthropology, archaeology and physical anthropology. Of great help to forensic is the physical

Business Environment and Economics Research Paper

Business Environment and Economics - Research Paper Example It applies to Gerries also. Hence the dominant strategy of charging 10 will give a profit of 4000 when both of them charge the same price and a profit of 6400 when the other charges a higher price of 11. In a duopoly situation, over a period both the players by experience arrive at a strategy to meet the other player's pricing and adapt his own pricing to the same as that of the rival. This in a way distributes the market more or less equally and makes both the players earn almost equal profits. For example in the instant case if both the players charge 11 as the price per unit then each of them gats a profit of 4500. This is higher than that of 4000 earned by them while charging 10 per unit. This result may be obtained by a pre-commitment between the rivals to match the prices and thus collude with each other. (ii) Two fast food restaurant chains, BurgerBinge and McDennys, are considering outlets within the same small shopping mall. If they both begin operations they will each lose 100,000 pa. If only one sets up it will earn 250,000 pa. Profits. The first mover advantage is derived by the firm which enters the market first by taking control of the potential sources available and to maximize their use to gain. This is a market situation that exists purely for the fist entrant and the subsequent players entering the market may not be able to get the same advantages that were available to the first entrant, unless there was a slack on the first entrant to maximize the advantages. In the given instant if both the firms decide to operate the existing market will have to be shared between both the players which results in a loss of 100,000 to each firm. This is due to the fact due to inadequacy of sales the firms might not be able to cover the fixed expenses which will result in a loss to both of them, as they both share the available demand. If one of them decides to stay away

Why did relations between the soviet union and the US change in the years 1943-1956 Essay Example for Free

Why did relations between the soviet union and the US change in the years 1943-1956 Essay The first reason is that Roosevelts death in April 1945 brought an end to any superficial unity that still existed at the end of World War 2 in 1943. Truman was now the American President, and relations between him and Stalin were deteriorating very quickly indeed, especially when Stalin was such a determined character and Truman was less willing to compromise, compared to Roosevelt. The second reason is that America had developed the atomic bomb in June 1945. This played a major part in the change in Trumans attitude at the Potsdam Conference in the same year. The successful development of the atomic bomb had lifted Truman on his high horse, and this links back to his attitude that clashed with Stalin. Now Truman was even more arrogant, and as a result, it made Stalin even more determined to get his way. The third reason is that as a result of Churchills Iron Curtain Speech, the Truman Doctrine and Marshall Aid, Stalin had responded to these by forcing communism on Eastern Europe, then Comecon and Cominform, and hence the Berlin Crisis. This point marks the peak of the Cold War when relations between the USSR and the USA were at their worst. This was because of the Berlin Blockade, when America had humiliated Stalin so devastatingly, with Stalin on the verge between firing at the airplanes, or ignoring them and keeping the blockade up. This is another example of Stalins stubborn nature, as seen in the Potsdam Conference mentioned in the previous paragraph. Finally, the fourth and last reason is that as a result of the Berlin Crisis, President Truman had signed the NATO agreement in 1949, which was a clear union of America and Western Europe against the USSR and Eastern Europe, and most importantly, against Communism. This made Stalin furious, and he responded in defence with the Warsaw Pact in 1955. This move shows that he is not to be outdone, and hence here at the peak of tension and conflict from 1943-56 we see the complete change that has occurred in the relation between the two powers.