England Book Club: The Hound of the Baskervilles – Part 1
There were a total of four Sherlock Holmes novels and 56 short stories. The Hound of the Baskervilles was the third book. The author, Arthur Conan Doyle, liked to use real crimes or unexplained, almost supernatural ideas as inspiration for Holmes’ mysteries.
The Hound of the Baskervilles is almost the opposite. About 70 years after the most famous Sherlock Holmes story, there were similar stories being told in the Devon and Sommerset regions of England. These stories were also of a mysterious ghost animal that no one could explain. This animal was called The Beast of Exmoor.
Here’s the assignment:
- Read the first two chapters of the book, and (in your own words) explain the Curse of the Baskervilles.
- Do a little research on The Beast of Exmoor and explain that story in your own words.
- How do the two stories compare?
Every student in our England group is required to participate. You must comment on this post with your thoughts, then come back and comment on what other people have said – you are required to make an effort to keep the conversation going by replying to at least 2 other students (more than just “I agree” or “you are right.” Give them reasons why you agree/disagree or what they said that was meaningful – make this a discussion).
Minooka TAP 
1. It seems the family of the Baskervilles are being all assassinated by this creature that sounds like a hound, and the glimpses are all assumed to be a hound. It is killing all of the Baskervilles, and it just killed another person.
2. The Exmoor beast is a cat-like beast. A lot of people have said to have seen it. It apparently preys on animals like sheep and domestic animals.
3. This is sort of similar to each other because they are both beasts and they were causing terror in people. The Exmoor beast goes after domestic animals, though, not a certain family, which also puts The Hound of the Baskervilles as a fictional story. People treat the Exmoor beast as they would Bigfoot.
Danielle, I like how you related the Exmoor beast to Bigfoot. The reason I do is because they both are legends and many people have claimed to see them. I also like the way you added the similaritie and differences between the two stories.
I also like how she added the differences too. It really adds.
I love how you related one well known beast to another incredibly well known beast. I guess they are somewhat alike.
i like how you used the word terror.
Good point! I completly agree with you about It being some what like bigfoot.
You are right Daniaelle about the animals being eaten I would not to be by one.
Oh, I really like that comparison to Bigfoot! I agree, with your differences between the hound and the Exmoor Beast as well. It seems that he just goes after animals while the hound is killing of one particular family.
1. The Curse of the Baskervilles is about the deaths of all the family members and how they relate. The curse involves a ” hound” ( as described) and all the baskervilles down the line have died from the beast. The curse happens to all the Baskervilles eventually and it is up to Sherlock to find out whos next.
2. This story is about a ” phantom” cat who is said to roam the fields of Exmoor and kills people and animals. This could be similar to the cat that is killing the Baskervilles. It is said to kill the victims by biting or cutting open the throat.
3. These two stories compare because they are, one, both located in Europe. Two, they both invole legendary beasts who kill people. They both are reported to look like domestic creatures like a dog and a cat.
That’s really cool. Did you like the story? It sounds like you’ve heard of the story before this assignment was posted!
that is cool doyle has a pretty cool imagination
I agree with you on the facts about the Beast of Exmoor because the creature is known to kill animals and humans just like the hound in our story.
I agree with you on how they are alike in a way, but didnt the beast of exmoor kill animals not people.
I also like how you related the beast to dogs and cats.
1)The curse of Baskervilles is a curse put on a Baskervilles family. A hound-like animal kills these family members.
2) This story consists of a mixed breed of cat and dog that kills animals and humans in order to survive. It is similar to the story we are reading in a couple of ways.
3) These two stories are alike because of the animal. Both of the main animals are eating/killing something. Also, it takes place in Europe, as Brooklyn said. No one knows if these creatures are real or even the same creatures but in different stories.
I agree with you it was/is a hound-animal like beast that was killing.
i agree with your first answer jade. the curse of the baskerville is a curse that was put on the baskerville family.
I like how you put they both took place in Europe, i forgot about that one.
Maybe for number 1 you could have been more specific on what exactly the curse put on a Baskerville family, nice job though!(:
I do agree with the first answer, but I don’t think it’s a curse. I think it’s perhaps, a beast sent to eliminate the family.
1. The curse of the baskervilles is all the family members of the baskerville family are all getting murderd. But not by a human, but a hound.
2. The sightings of the beast started in the 1970’s when a farmer lost 100 sheep killed by violent thraot injuries.
3.The hound of the baskervilles compares to the beast because animals keep dying under the same surcomstances.One by a hound the other by a beast.
I disagree with your 2nd answer because it doesn’t describe what the Beast of Exmoor does, or how it is similar to the hound in our book.
i agree with hannah. your second answer indeed does not tell the story or how it was similar to the book we are reading.
i agree with hannah and mckalya, your second answer does not relate to the story.
Me too. It doesn’t really explain what the beast exactly did. And the hound killed the Baskervilles and a person.
Why do you think they were throat injuries insted of anywhere else? I disagree with you on how one was kiled by hound and the other by beast. Werent te all killed by hound?
I agree that the animals they are killing are dying under the same surcomstances.
I heard it killed sheep too the pictures are also not the best it made me sick when I saw the pics of the dead sheep by the thing GROSS! I did not look it up it just apreed its just gross.
iv seen some of the pictures of the sheep having injuries in their necks from the “beast”. theyre so disgusting!!!!
1) The course of Baskerville is where a hound is going after the Baskerville’s whole family. Not just any hound a huge, killer hound.
2)A giant black cat goes around killing live stock. Peoples animals have been severly injured or even killed. Its not just that though, peoples items have been broken too. Tractors have been destroyed and land has been destroyed.
3)They are both about two killer animals. A “cat” and a “dog” that are giant and go murder other people/families.
I agree with you on how the beast of exomor was a black cat I saw that in apisture of it
1)The curse of bakersvile is A curse that is put on a bakersvile family and what happens every member of that family is killed by a hound.
2)The beast of exomor is a cat like beasts that. Uses the human society as it’s food source
3) These to stories are alike in many ways like there are beast and they use people as food sources .i think the only difference is that in the hound of bakersvile is a curse and the beast of exomor is just using people as Food source.
I have to disagree with you. The Beast of Exmoor has never hurt a human. They attack livestock like cattle,sheeps, and sometimes chickens.
I think she meant that statement differently than how you saw it. I think Shelby may have meant what you said right there; that the Exmoor beast is using human society for food, as in eating the livestock and sheep.
1. Curse of Baskersville is about a tragic incident where a family gets murdered by a mysterious creature. This creature is a hound, and sets a curse on the family. This curse is set on all of the Baskerville’s, and Sherlock is told that it is his job to find out who will end up with the curse next.
2. This story is about a phantom cat who is known to roam the fields of Exmoor, on a hunt to kill not just humans, but animals. This so far relates to the beast in The Hound of Baskervilles.
3. The two stories compare because both of the animals are known for killing, and both of these haunting stories happen to take place in Europe. Plus, no one knows if these creatures are real or just come from the witnesses imaginations.
I see your point, neither story tellsn if the creatures are hunted down AND caught so i agree with you.
I dissagree with you the killing’s didnt become notorious until about 1983.
1) It is when memmbers of the Baskerville fammily die due to ben attacked by hounds.
2) Ity stated in the 1970s where a mysterious beast kill animals in the neck. They noticed this when they found 100 sheep ded with neckwounds
3) This compares because in the curse the hounds (beast) kill only the Baskerville family(people) members as if everyone else is exempt. Then the beast of exmoor that beast kills animals.
i disagree because the beast in the second question can kill people.
1) The curse of baskervilles, i think is like a curse of death , because that was put on a family, and as a result of that curse all of the family member’s are basicly being murdered. The family member’s were being murdered by a hound like beast.
2) The beast of exmoor is a “phantom cat”. It is knowen for cutting the necks of it’s prey. It does this so that the animal can survive.
3) These two stories compare, because both of these stories contain a type of “beast” that frighten’s people. They also compare, because they are both called domestic animal’s.
i also think that it is like a curse of death
1. The curse of the Baskervilles is that everyone in the baskerville family is killed by a hound. It is a huge dog-like creature that kills them by ripping their throats out.
2. The beast of Exmoor is a cat type animal. It is said to look something like a puma. it kills things like small animals and sheep. People claim to see it all the time.
3. These two stories are very similiar because they both are legands that people claim to see. the only difference in that one is a cat-like thing and the other is a hound-like thing.They both kill by picking at the throats.
I never thought of the fact that they were both legends.
I agree with your second answer. People have claimed to have seen it a lot along with a lot of other beasts. Perhaps beasts like some river monster everyone was afraid of a while back.
1. The Curse of Baskervilles is a chain of deaths to the families. The suppossed killer is thought to be a hound. All baskervilles will eventually encounter the beast after a while.
2. The Beast of Exmoor is a wild cat that roams around the fields of exmoor in Devon and Somerset in the United Kingdom
3. The Beast of Exmoor and The Hound of Baskervilles are related since they are both animals that murder familes. The hound is “thought” to be an animal, while the Beast of Exmoor is a known fact as an animal
I agree with you how the anmials in both storys kill people in a family.
1. The curse of baskerviles is where a hound apartly likes to kill the the Baskerville family. It says the footrints are done by a hound but I think it is a trick. I just have a feeling it is because it is like that in other mistery movies and shows. Well sheerlock Holms will hopfully find out who did it and I bet you its not a hound just a trick done by the killer but we will just see.
2. It ia the most discugting thing ever to the point where I will throw up. It says it kills sheep to where it gives them throaet ingeries. It is says it is like a ghoast cat.
3.The two stories comppare because both animnals kill living things and leave foot prints that look like done by pets and story is taken place in England.But also not the most friendly creatures proably.
I’m interested on the hound footprints
I never though it was a trick, now you got me thinking about it.
hmm, i didnt think that they were both from england.
I do agree with you Sabrina, the sightings of the cats ‘food’ were very gross! I also like how you relate with the foot prints. Now i want to read the book!
I thought they barely ever left any footprints?
I never thought about it as a trick, but everyone has their own persoective!(:
A hound like figure has been a suspect in the murder of the Baskervilles. This hound has been killing them off one by one and has just struck again.
Farmers saw an alarming decrease in sheep in the summer of 1983 and suspected another animal was to blame. They had set up a guard but nothing seemed to stop the horrifying explanation of sheep disappearing and half carcasses found on the hills. Di Francis joined the hunt and was set on solving the case. Overall this enticing mystery soon became the discovery of the ‘wildcat’.
The stories resemble each other in at least two ways. One is the fact that even though one story kills animals and the other kills humans, something is being murdered. Both of the stories also have murder by animal.
i agree that he is basically like a murderer.
i agree the fact that living things are being murdered help the thought they are somewhat the same.
1. The hounds of Baskervilles is a curse that was brought upon the Baskerville family by Hugo Baskerville who was not a very nice man. He kidknapped a girl he cherished who didn’t like him or his bad reputattion.When she escaped he made pact with the demon and sent his hunting huonds after the poor girl. She was later found dead from fear and he was found with a bloodthirsty monster like hound mudering him. The family ever since has been dying tragically and suddenly. Dr.Mortimer, a friend of the last Baskerville has asked Sherlock Holmes to solve the case of The Hounds of Baskervilles.
2.The Beast of Exmoor is suppsley a leapord like cat like creature that was first seen in 1970s. Noone knows if this animal even exist or but some people do believe they have pictures of what they think is the Beat of Exmoor. The beast lives in England and some parts of Ireland .This animal hasn’t hurt any humans but they do attack farm animals. At times in the seventies it would leave whole livestocks died with just a genormous scratch in its neck and sometimes footprints.
3,The stories are very much alike because they both contain a strange monster like creature that none has ever seen before! Both of the beasts are making bloody attacks and leaving barley any clues but footprints.
1. There is a hound who kills the Baskervilles. This Hound was killing all of them one at a time but its happened again. I honestly think that some person actually killed the people. I mean the footprints could be just a normal dogs, maybe its a close relative that just wants to inherit money from the Baskervilles. Like in those movies.
2.The beast of Exmoor is a cat type animal, its sort likes jaguar or puma known for snapping necks in the united Kingdom,
3. I think the storie connects the animals because maybe the footprints are the same and they both lie in the same area.
These animals remind me a lot of the Chupa Cabra in Mexico. SInce they’d kill (I think sheep) for fun also. And they would leave fang marks in the neck area. But like the beast and the hound, no one really knows what to believe. Yet most people don’t believe in it.
Yes they did kill sheep and they are basically hounds but with a really BIG head. and like a very strange tail, with the gallop of a horse XD
Obviously they both leave foot prints; the only thing that doesn’t leave foot prints is a creature who flies or whom doesn’t have feet! There are still other similarities between these two than besides the fact that they both know how to walk.
1) their is a creater tht makes a sound like a hound. i feel that the author named the book hound of the baskerviles because since this creater is killing all of them it is basically like their own family challange. a hound is a type of dog and this creater makes a howolling sound ( just like a wolf or a hound ).
2) i am sorry but i couldnt find any information or reasearch for the beast of exmoor.
3) since i couldnt find any info for # 2 i can not answer this question i am very sorry.
I understand how hard it is to research things. There are so many sources that can include false information and the topic may bore you to sleep, but there is one resource you can still use: this page! All of the people out there do research to write articles about topics. Then you use those articles to research and write your own article ( or responce). That is exactly what your friends did on this page. They wrote articles. You can research multiple of your friends responces then write your own. Its the same as searching tootle or Bing!
1. So theres this family called the baskervilles, and this beast ,that is being described as a sort of hound from glances and attacks , is murdering them. This beast somewhat enjoys killing them, one by one, making them wonder who is next.
2. the legend of the beast of exmoor was created for people once again, like many times ago, to help us understand things for the human mind. it was said to be a evil black catlike creature, killing sheep for its enjoyment. this creature was said to be like a puma and was “created” in 1980.
3. so i belive these storys are similer by the fact the
a) Things are being murdered
b) Said to be done for the fun of it
c) Caused by creaters like big cats and hounds
So yes there very much alike
1- from the chapters one and two, i think that the curse of the Baskervilles is where the family with the last name Baskerville gets killed. so basically people in that family are screwed. now it is up to sherlock holmes to figure out who is going to be next. now the people that have the Baskerville curse have been repotted to be killed by hound. well at least that is what they are described as for those who have claimed to see it.
2- this story is about a cat animal that has been seen and kills animals and humans to survive. the dead animals were found to have bitten open throats.nothing had seemed to stop the animal. also The Beast of Exmoor is a wild cat that roams around the fields of exmoor in Devon and Somerset in the United Kingdom.
3- they are similar stories because they are both animals that kill things by biting their throat. a difference is the beast of exmoor is a know animal but people have not actually seen the hounds to clarify exactly what it is. also one is a cat like creature and the other is a hound which is like a dog.
1.) the curse of the baskervilles is like when baskerville family members suddenly have a mysterious death. Thought of being caused by a type of hound.
2.) The Beast of Exmoor was a story about a black or grey cat and hunted livestock of animals like lambs. The beast looked almost like a puma.
3.) these 2 stories are like each other because they’re both mysterious animals that kill different people/animals mysteriously, and people have tried to figure out if these animals really exist.
1. The curse of the baskervilles is when one member of the family dies mysteriously like in a major car crash or carrage crash. A lot of people belive that the curse is caused by a type of dog or hound.
2. The story of the Beast of Exmoor is about a type of big black cat like a puma or a black cat, that kills anmials to survive. Most of the animals like cows, goats, ect seemed to have their thoarts teared open and this animal could most likly not be stoped. It got even more dangers when it statered to kill people.
3. The two storys (Sherlock Holmes and The Beast of Exmoor) are alike since they are both about misterys and murders. In both books, it has people or things hat need to be stopped. Also, In both storys aniamls are involed where they leave footsteps and extremally sickly killings.
Is it just one member of the family that gets killed? Or everyone in the Baskerville family? I’m confused!
1. The curse of the Baskervilles is a curse that was brought on by a man to kill the Baskerville family. I think he can do this because of the pact he made with the demon/hound, after the incident with the girl.
2. The beast of Exmoor, in simple form is a wild cat that roams around fields. But the beast was created for people. It also kills people for it’s enjoyment. It sounds kind of like the Chupa Cabra of Mexico to me.
3. These stories compare in a few ways.
a) They are both animals that are doing the murdering.
b) People have been trying to figure out if this is a myth or a fact. For both stories.
c) They both kill the same way. By biting their prey’s neck.
Yeah it reminded me of the chupu Cabra too. Cuz it’s killing sheep kind of like the chupu cabra kills goats . Also the fact that it kills for enjoyent is quit creepy.
I completely forgot about the Chupa Cabra, but now that you say it… they really do connect! Both the Exmoor Beast and Chupa Cabra kill domesticated animals/ livestock.
The curse of the baskervilles is the killing of all the members in the Baskerville family. This may be a curse by a hound or dog.
The beast of exmoor is a type of wild cat. It is said to look like a puma and be haunted.
Both these books are murder mysterys. In both of the books animals are doing the killing. Also both the animals bite in the same spot.
1) The Curse of the Baskervilles is the Baskervilles family and so far, another person, by what has been described as what sounds like a hound. Now it is up to Holmes to find out who is next.
2)The Beast of Exmoor is this “phantom like cat” monster in Devon and Somerset in the U.K. It is a beast known for snapping necks and to roam fields.
3)The 2 stories compare because so far, there is no distinct reason for their troubles, and nobody knows what exactly they are. Both are found in the area of the u.k. and are known as killing animals.
1)The curse of baskerville is about the baskerville family, they are all getting murdered. The creature that is killing them all is some kind of hound, which is a dog. Atleast people say they saw the hound. All of the members of the family are getting killed my this mysterious beast. Aftter a this girl died this has come to sherlocks attention, so he is going to solve the crime, and figure out the mystery behind this whole murdering doggie incedint.
2) The beasts of Exmoor is a creature that looks like a puma with big sharp fangs . It is five feet long, just to throw that out there..It kills sheep at night time, and alot of people believe in it and are quit afraid. It’s kind of like all those other legends like Big foot, the cubra cobra.
3) These stories compare because in both there is a sketchy ceature going around killing things. In both people ahve said they have seen it and in both people are very scared.
1.)The curse of Baskervilles is certainly something else. It seems that everyone in the Baskerville family (hence the name) is being hunted by a hound of some sort. Or so they say, no one really knows if it’s a hound. Whoever the murderer is though, it sure sounds like a rabid dog and apparently looks like one.
2.) The Exmoor Beast is a phantom cat. It’s said to represent a wild cat like the puma or panther. It’s colors are between black and dark grey. It preys on farmer’s livestock and supposedly ruins people’s lands and items.
3.) I do see the similarities between the Hound of Baskervilles and the Exmoor Beast. They both hunt and destroy. They’re also both the sources of terror in some English stories. But there are also many differences. The Exmoor Beast goes around hunting random livestock while the hound is more of an assassin who hunts one specific person/family.
Hmm I didn’t think of the Exmoor to be a phantomn. Just a cat thats good at hiding
1. The curse of the Baskervilles is about the killing of everyone in the Baskerville family. It has been going on for 3 or 4 generations. It seems as though everyone one in the family is haunted by a hound of some sort and killed by it. Each death is sudden and random.
2. The Exmoor Beast is a cat that feeds on sheep and destroys farmers lands and animals. It gives the sheep throat injuries and represents wild cats such as leopords or pumas.
3. I see the simularities between the curse of the Baskervilles and the Exmoor beast. They both hunt and destroy lives. The cat kills sheeps lives and the curse kills humans lives.
I like how you describe what the cat is like, and how you explain how long the deaths have been going on and how random they are in your first descripition!
1.) The curse of the baskervillles include the death of a family. A hound like animal is killing everyone within the family.
2.) The Exmoor is a cat like a panther. This cat hunts on domestic animals.
3.) The two storys conect because they both have beast hunting things. The only difference is the hound is hounting a family cause of a curse, and the exmoor is hunting domestic animals.
The curse of the baskervilles is a curse that was set upon the entire baskerville family. The ledgend is that if you have baskerville blood, you will meet your fate at the wrath of a fierce hound. But not an ordinary hound. This hound is a giant, vicious, man-eating creature that feeds on the corpses of the people he has murdered. This gave this book the name “The hound of the baskervilles”.
The exmoor beast is a giant black cat that feeds on the livestock of villagers. Their lambs and other animals were seen dead with their necks ripped open. This is how the beast eats to survive. It savages the remains of an animal who’s neck he had ripped open.
These two stories compare in many ways. They both involve a large mythical creature that comes to murderer but hides before any pure evidence could be found. They also aim for one target. The hound aims for the baskervilles family and the exmoor beast directs its attention to the live stock of the citizens. One last thing that these stories have in common is that the creature is a large version of a normal animal. The hound is a… well its a big hound, but the exmoor beast is a large black cat or panther. These stories are still stories and have no physical evidence of being true. These stories are alike in many ways.
I like how you put a lot of detail into your descriptions and explanations! Love it(:
i agree what you said about the curse i want to use what you said but i cant
1. The Curse of the Baskervilles is about the deaths of all family members & how they relate. The curse involves a “hound” and all the baskervilles down the line have died from the beast. The curse happens to all the Baskervilles eventually and it’s all up to Sherlock to find out who’s the next to be cursed.
2. This story is about a ”phantom” cat who is said to wander the fields of Exmoor & kills people and animals. This could be similar to the cat that is killing the Baskervilles. It is said that the “phantom” cat kills the victims by biting or cutting open the throat.
3. These two stories compare because they both take place in Europe.They also both involve legendary beasts who kill people. They both are reported to look like domestic creatures like a dog and a cat.
I completely agree with you about the comparison about the two stories! I didn’t even think about the fact that they both take place in Europe!
i agree with what you said about the curse
1) It is where each member of the Baskervilles family is killed by a hound like creature. Then, it is Sherlock who has to go and figure out who is next.
2)This is about a large cat-like creature that goes around a kills livestock of the villagers and sometimes people, and then it rips open the animals necks and feed on them.
3)These two stories compare to how they both involve beast like, carnivore creatures that eat and kill living things. They both described also as house pet creatures.
1. The curse of the Baskervilles is that there is a gigantic hound that kills off all of the baskervilles. All of them are gone, except for one.
2. the story is about a cat that just goes around and kills stuff just for fun I guess. however, this cat isnt a curse, its a phantom
3. The two stories are very different and very similar. they are similar because they both have to do with a misterious animal killing at least something. but the hound we are reading about stays focused only on the baskervilles. and we don’t know what its going to do when they are gone. the cat will kill as many as it pleases
1. the curse of the baskervilles is the deaths of family members. the curse has a “dog” and every baskervilles died from it eventually. in the book sherlock has to find out who’s next.
2. this story is about a “cat” that wanders around killing people and animals.
3. these stories compare because the are common pets and in england.