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Layla Ventura
Ms. Baudendistel
PreAp ELAR 8th
05 December 2017
Expository LIterary Analysis
The Hound of the Baskervilles, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, references to Dr. Watson and
Sherlock Holmes who were assigned to solve the case of the hound on the moor which is killing
the Baskerville family. From the beginning to the end, the author develops the theme of
characters being ruled by fear affected the decision the Baskerville men made, which caused
some very traumatic things to happen.
In the beginning, Sir Charles is killed by fear of the hound. Many thought that the hound
ripped the throat of Sir Charles out, but that is not a true statement. This is shown when Waston
states ‘ “... Sir Charles’ nervous system was stained...so much so...nothing would induce him to
go out upon the moor at night… {a} ghostly presence constantly haunted him…’ ”(23). This is
describing Sir Charles’ heart attack and how it was caused by the horror of seeing the hound and
when he died his face was distorted in fear. Since fright plays a big role in the novel the quote
above shows that Sir Charles was ruled by fear. An example in this situation is he was coming in
contact with the mysterious hound which had frightened Sir Charles so much it killed him.
In addition, Stapleton and Watson were scared to walk across the moor on a dark night.
This is revealed when Waston states ‘ “ There was the footprints of the hound besides him…
Come on!.. We stumbled slowly along in the darkness… There is nothing…{just} a pitch dark
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night… But at least we could see when it came”’(136). When Stapleton and Watson went to the
moor they were scared, but then they went along the moor even though it was at night and pitch
dark. In reference to what Watson was staying, him and Stapleton are ruled by fear in the
scenario when they walked across the moor. For the reason of what happened to Sir Charles and
how the hound frightens him to death. As well and coming in contact with the hound does not
scare the two enough. They both worry about walking across the moor and coming out in one
piece.
Then, Sir Henry is nervous to walk across the moor alone, but he still attempted to walk
across by himself. Watson supports this when he infringes ‘“The steps grew louder, and through
the fog, as though a curtain there stepped the man whom we were awaiting… he {Sir Henry}
glanced continually over either shoulder, like a man who is ill to eat”’(211). Since Sir Henry is
overwhelmed and also very nervous to walk across the mysterious moor at night he is ruled by
fear. He debates about going through the moor. Since the hound may still be out in the moor
waiting to attack Sir Henry. At first Henry was ruled by fear by not wanting to walk arcoss the
moor but then he comes to conclusion that he is going to walk across, and for the brave decision
Henry made, he overcomes his fear and walks across the moor. With the decision Henry makes
the hound turns out to be seeking Sir Henry and attacked him. Which is one way that did not
being ruled by fear does not benfit the Baskerville family.
In the end, being ruled is something most of the Baskerville men went though. Since the
charatcers in the novel were ruled by fear they made some dession that did not benfit them in
anyway. With that termatic things that happned the Baskervilles suffered some very unplesent
things by being ruled by fear. For expample when Watson and Stapleton walked across the moor
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they were frighten beaucse they had to walk across the moor at night with just to two of them
alone. With that the charater were ruled by fear in the novel which affected many things in the
novel.
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Works Cited
Doyle, Arthur Conan. Sherlock Holmes: The Hound of Baskervilles. Signet Classic, 2001.