In Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s intriguing story, The Hound of the Baskervilles, famous detectives Sherlock Holmes and Watson desperately attempt to sort fact from fiction in a mystery case. If they fail, another victim’s life could be claimed by death. In the duration of the apprehensive novel, the writer develops the theme of appearances can be deceiving through a misleading letter, a deadly place in disguise, and an unforeseen and fatal fraud. In the opening of the novel, an unknown person devises a letter in a specific way in attempts to hide the writer's true identity. The letter warns Sir Henry to not go anywhere near the moor if he wishes to continue his life. The text depicts “...that the letter was composed by an educated man who wished to pose as an uneducated one.” (45) The person who composes the letter, who is later revealed to be Mrs. Stapleton, purposely poses as an uneducated person by using nail scissors and messy handwriting to create the letter. Holmes, knowing that it could be a trick, inferred that the appearance of the letter that suggests traits of the writer is indeed false. She poses as an uneducated person in attempt to hide her true …show more content…
Dr. Watson is out for a walk near the moor when Mr. Stapleton saves Watson’s life. Dr. Watson was about to walk across what appeared to be a quintessential spot for a stroll. The text reveals that “You [Watson] would naturally think that [would be a great place for a ride]… [but] a false step yonder means certain death to the man or beast.” (93). The Grimpen Mire looks like a lovely, open grass-filled field. However, the mire’s will end the life of whoever tries to cross the mire and fails, as the mire is actually a big, almost quicksand-ish area. The quagmire’s appearance was an outright deception, truly being the exact opposite of what it appears to