Conflict between Mr. Frankland and Laura in The Hound of the Baskervilles
Conflictbetween Mr. Frankland and Laura in The Hound of the Baskervilles
The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle presents apart of the series that involves Sherlock Holmes and Doctor JohnWatson as they try to solve different murders. The novel reveals aconflict between Mr. Frankland and his daughter Laura Lyons thatdecided to get married without his approval. As a result of Laura’sdisrespect, Mr. Frankland decides to disown her because he wantspeople that comply with his instructions. When Laura moves out, sheis forced to rely on Stapleton, Sir Charles Baskerville and DoctorMortimer on funds that open her typing business. In the process, heended up getting involved in the murder even if she was not a killer.This essay will illustrate the conflict between Laura and Mr.Frankland, and how it helps in revealing his character and how thetension between them leads to Laura associating with the killer andthe victim.
Mr. Frankland feels like her daughter, Laura, went against his adviceand got married to Lyon. As a result, Mr. Frankland even decides todisown his daughter because he believes that he can live with peoplethat disrespect him. Dr. Mortimer reveals that “her father refusedto have anything to do with her, because she had married without hisconsent, and perhaps for one or two other reasons as well” (Doyle,512). It is clear that Mr. Frankland is a person that has created areputation and expects that everyone should honor his name and thatis why he has been involved in multiple lawsuits in the neighborhood.When his daughter against his wishes, he does not hesitate indisowning her, and he insists that he will not help her in any way.Leaving her father’s house exposes her to various challenges in thesociety. For instance, she ends up in the hands of the pennilessartist that is known as Lyons and he ends up mistreating her anddeserts her. She is left hopeless, and she has to rely on handouts tosurvive since she could not have returned to her father’s house.
The conflict between the two helps in revealing Mr. Frankland’scharacter and how he influences the plot. First, the scenario paintsMr. Frankland as a person that loves conflict and will notaccommodate anyone that has different views from his. In fact, thatis the same reason he decided to disown his daughter rather thanforgiving her instead. He is even unwilling to help with theinvestigation because that is not his nature. He is the exactopposite of Doctor Mortimer, who is ready to help Watson and SherlockHolmes with their process of identifying the truth behind the deathsthat had occurred (Doyle, 508). Based on Mr. Frankland’s character,Watson is forced to manipulate him so that they can get theinformation they need to connect the dots. The conflict also showsthat he is someone that tends to engage in other people’s issues,and the two detectives know that they can get a wide range ofinformation from him. The scenario also makes one understand Watsonand Holmes are dealing with a difficult person, and they will striveto get the information they want.
When Laura moves out, it helps in shaping the plot and hisassociation with Sir Charles because she was forced to rely onhandouts to survive. In this case, after Lyons deserted her, it wasclear that she did not have any opportunity of surviving. Hence,Stapleton, Sir Charles Baskerville, and Doctor Mortimer are theindividuals that help her with enough money to stabilize her typingbusiness (Doyle, 514). Perhaps, if her father had not disowned her,Sir Charles could have been still alive, and she might not have metStapleton as well. Even Holmes and Watson believe that she might havebeen involved in the death and they work tirelessly to prove theirtheory. The two even discover that Laura had written a letter, whereshe wanted to meet Sir Charles, but, when she failed to show up,Stapleton saw an opportunity of allowing his beast to terrorize SirCharles and scaring him, something that led to his death (Doyle,515). The fact that she cannot move to her father’s house alsoincreases her desperation and she believe anything that Stapletontells her. Together with Beryl, who is Stapleton’s wife, they areready to protect him since they think that he loves them. Thescenario makes the story even more entertaining because the two areable to facilitate the mystery and push the detectives to dig formore evidence that will identify the killer in Dartmoor.
In conclusion, the differences between Mr. Frankland and Laura shapethe plot and Laura are forced to rely on the killer and the victimfor enough funds to support her typing business. In this case, theconflict also shows the qualities of Mr. Frankland and how he tendsto engage in matters that involve others and that helps thedetectives in finding the killers. On the other hand, Laura beingpushed out forces her to interact with various individuals that aredirectly involved in the crime that the two detectives areinvestigating as well.
Doyle, A.C. SherlockHolmes: The Complete Stories. Ware: Wordsworth Editions. 1989
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