The Moonstone Chapter XV in Harper's Weekly

One of the biggest differences between The Moonstone in Harper’s Weekly and in All the Year Round is the former is accompanied by illustrations whereas the latter is not. The opening illustration to the Moonstone installment in Harper’s Weekly portrays Betteredge and Sergeant Cuff investigating at the Shivering Sands. This illustration captures the reader’s attention, as Betteredge is gesturing to something that Sergeant Cuff is uncovering in the sand, and the reader is curious to read on to see what it is. Similarly, the second image displays similar body language, with Sergeant Cuff appearing to be gesturing towards something. Taken together the body language in these illustrations sets up the expectation for some type of inquiry or discovery to be taking place in the chapter, with the figures in the two illustrations pointing at something that the reader must read to find out what it is. In this way the illustrations spark the reader’s curiosity through an effective visual medium, possibly as a way to reach viewers and to encourage the type of sustained interest that Ashlyn Stewart argues was important to keep people reading the periodical (204). One way to view this as it relates to the theme of science is that the type of inquiry associated with scientific pursuits, that is to find information, is used in this context to spark the reader's curiosity as to what information the text will provide. The interest involved in inquiry is used to garner readers. 

Work Cited: 

Stewart, Ashlyn. “Creating a National Readership for Harper’s Weekly in a Time of Sectional Crisis.” National Collegiate Honors Council, vol. 19, no. 1, 2018, pp. 173-209. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1185580.pdf. Accessed 01 Dec. 2019.