Chapter III

This chapter begins with an image of a group of men depicted in a desert, along with a camel. Within it, the majority of the men are depicted with dark skin, long dress, and rounder hats. However, there is one man that stands out. Although he is seated, he is dressed differently than those depicted around him, and even his hat is of a different style. The man that is depicted differently is supposed to represent Mr. Murthwaite, as he is the focus of this page through a dialogue with Mr. Bruff about the missing Moonstone. From previous narratives we know that Murthwaite is a character that has travelled in the past, and that is why his interest in the Moonstone is so profound. Immediately, this impresses upon the reader that Mr. Murthwaite will be making another appearance in the following narrative and that the information he will provide Mr.Bruff with will be paramount to the solving of the mystery. This image directs the readers’ attention to the opening paragraph of this chapter, where Mr. Bruff states that if Mr. Murthwaite sets out on another expedition he is sure to meet with his death. While the narrative paints these foreigners as threatening and these travels to be leading to Murthwaite’s death, the image instead offers a representation of peace and tranquility, a paradox that may serve to confuse the reader rather than inform them.

Works Cited

Harper’s Weekly: A Journal of Civilization. Harper & Brothers, 1868, New York, p. 325.