Philip Kozlowski 12/5/13 B1 English

The Heart of the Mystery

Positive and negative qualities affect detectives such as Sherlock Holmes and Robert Langdon. In Sir Arthur Conan Doyles The Hound of the Baskervilles, and Ron Howards movie Angels and Demons, Sherlock Holmes and Robert Langdon are detectives who show excellent qualities for what makes a great detective. Sir Arthur Conan Doyles Sherlock Holmes and Ron Howards Robert Langdon, portrayed through Tom Hanks, have both positive and negative qualities in their detective work. Sherlock Holmes and Robert Langdon equally demonstrate the qualities of a good detective, even though they both communicate to the viewer what negative qualities that they both establish amongst themselves which always have consequences. The two detectives are different yet similar and each of them obtain resources to help them solve their cases. Sherlock Holmes and Robert Langdon are smart and either of them can be called [a] practical man (17). Both detectives use their minds in order to find the unexpected criminal. Holmes solves a case which runs in the Baskerville family (19). He has to think his way through the mysterious death of Sir Charles Baskerville and the new heir Sir Henry Baskerville and the great wealth he inherits. Langdon uses his brain in a very hectic, time restricted crime. In the crime, an enemy of the Vatican is threatening to blow up the city and kill four Cardinals every hour. Another major difference between their assets of the detectives is when and where they have to solve the case. Holmes is in Victorian England solving a case near a moor and a house in solitude. Langdon solves the mystery in modern day Rome and the Vatican. The difference in time greatly effects their means of solving the case. Langdon has the technology of the modern age, computers, video cameras, cars, and helicopters. Holmes uses the old Victorian time technology such as horse drawn carriages, revolvers, and steam powered

Philip Kozlowski 12/5/13 B1 English trains. The differences in time and technology help the detectives solve their cases because the technology is extraordinarily different and new ways of solving crimes changed. Although the detectives have varied advantages both detectives show equally bad negative qualities that are not helpful for solving crimes and can have major consequences. Holmes shows negative qualities such as too much self-pride resulting in violence, as does Langdon with his lack of timing and his lack of experience. A good detective shouldnt be cocky and should use time wisely. Holmes gloats to Watson and he puts him down when he thinks of something, elementary (11). Not only that, but Holmes concludes all of [Watsons] conclusions were erroneous. (11). Holmes also has to resort to violence at the end, by [emptying] five barrels of his revolver into the side of the creature (202). Langdons negative quality, lack of timing, causes consequences to others. He tried to do a lot at once in only 4 hours, and because of that three Cardinals were killed. Langdons actions had caused consequences upon others. His other bad quality is that he doesnt have that much experience being a detective, this quality resulted with him trying to solve the Illuminati case, but he does it in an untimely fashion. Langdon also almost let the criminal slip off his mind because he was not thinking like a proper detective. This shows that lack of training is a harmful quality. Since Langdon is inexperienced he has only solved two crimes; and the very experienced Holmes has solved many more successful cases. Both detectives have negative traits that affect them a great deal and most definitely have consequences. As well as the characters possess negative traits, they also have positive traits that can influence their effectiveness. Holmes is secretive and Langdon is good under pressure and is also persuasive. Both of them are smart and deductive thinkers. Holmes shows that he is secretive by remaining an unknown factor in [solving the case of the hound] (168) and how he

Philip Kozlowski 12/5/13 B1 English has covered everyone in a cloud of deception which had been practiced upon [Watson] (168). Langdon shows his concentration and persistency by remaining calm after a Cardinal had been stabbed and branded. He also used concentration and persistence to find the anti-matter bomb that would destroy the entire Vatican. Langdon used his persuasion in order to convince the police to go and save the fourth Cardinal from drowning. Holmes shows his powers of deduction when he affirms that the beat up, old walking stick, that [Mortimer] had done a great deal of walking with [the walking stick] (16). He also demonstrates this technique when he inspects the letter that had a scent [that] suggested the presence of a lady (220). Langdon also uses decisiveness when he is told that Cardinals were going to be killed and that the Pope had been assassinated. He suggests that it was the Illuminati who were behind the murder, because they were the ancient enemies of the Catholic Church and have a plausible cause for vengeance. They both have a scientific mind (17), which they use to solve their predicaments. Their progressive qualities help the detective themselves solve the mystery and can also be used as unique tool in their arsenal. Moreover, the sleuths in these two mysteries had to have been smart, on time, decisive, and use their available technology in order to solve a case thoroughly. Although the detectives can be exceedingly effective, they also usually have negative traits such as cockiness and being un-experienced which are not beneficial to solving the case. Good detectives may not win the battles, for example Robert Langdon not succeeding in catching the criminal four times, but they can win the wars, Langdon might have failed multiple times, but ultimately he found the killer and the bomber. Sherlock Holmes and Robert Langdon are excellent examples of great detectives because they may have moral traits, but they also have damaging habits, that both

Philip Kozlowski 12/5/13 B1 English affect their efficiency as a crime solver. Their morals and their bad habits both have consequences that are able to become good or bad depending on the detectives actions.

References for the Heart of the Mystery Comparison Writing Howard, Ron, dir. Angels and Demons. Perf. Tom Hanks, et al. Sony Pictures Studios, 2009. Television. Doyle, Arthur Conan. The Hound of the Baskervilles. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group Inc., 1959. Print.