Discussion Post: The Final Problem

[spacemutineer.livejournal.com]

Hello again to everyone! Time again for a bit of discussion about this week's story, The Final Problem. It's the other half of the hiatus, so it's a biggie. It's been interesting to read them out of order. Gives a different flavor to them -- I enjoyed it. Here are some questions and thoughts to get you started. Please add your own!

- Professor Moriarty and his brother are both named James? Oops. I suspect ACD was not paying attention.

- Watson seems particularly dense in his initial meeting with Holmes. "There was something very strange in all this." Uh... yeah, you could say that. What tipped you off? The busted knuckles from a fistfight or the fact he told you he was afraid he was going to be shot by an airgun through your window? Something does seem to be amiss here! Excellent detective work, Doctor.

- Do you think the ruse of the sick woman was all that convincing? Perhaps it was just very finely crafted by Moriarty to push all of Watson's sympathy buttons: dying person, alone, a woman, English.

- Holmes said his plan for the aftermath of his encounter with Moriarty was a more "placid" existence, a life in "the quiet fashion which is most congenial to me, and [concentrating] my attention upon my chemical researches." Do you really think he could have been happy that way at this point in his life? If not, is he lying to Watson or himself? Do you think Watson believed him?

Comments

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

The letter was an inspired way to get Watson out of the way. There was no way Watson would reject it out of hand, whatever his suspicions he would have to way it up. No doubt Holmes realising what the truth was would have encouraged Watson to go. And Moriarty would almost certainly know that Holmes would understand what the letter was about and would therefore know that it would achieve his desired result.

[wytchcroft.livejournal.com]

Watson's emotions cloud his recollections throughout - he MAKES himself seem dense because on some level he blames himself for the death of his friend.

and of course Holmes lies, he is a pathological liar.

[shes-a-geek.livejournal.com]

I've also read fic/commentary wherein Holmes arranges for the fake letter, either to protect Watson or (in darker interpretations) prevent him from interfering in what could be constructed as Moriarty's murder. I find these versions interesting because of how Holmes (or Moriarty) does play on Watson's sympathies.

[wild-huntress.livejournal.com]

Good question about your last point - it always strikes me how in the very beginning of The Norwood Builder, when Holmes has finally put the last of Moriarty's men away, he's not enjoying himself at all but is rather moping that "Aw, I'm bored; there are no dangerous, challenging criminals anymore, I kinda miss Moriarty et al =( ". Maybe that comment about how he wants a more placid life should be a tip off that Holmes is very worried at this time... but has apparently forgotten his very real fear/concern once the danger has actually passed.

[methylviolet10b]

I think Watson's whole recounting of FINA is clouded by both ongoing guilt, and the passage of time - this story is allegedly written two years after Reichenbach, after all. Given that we know he loses his wife Mary sometime in the hiatus, it's interesting to speculate that he may have had another reason to write the story then - possibly to distract himself from yet another loss he could not prevent.

As for Holmes' stated desire to find something calmer to do - this is at the tail end of a months'-long - maybe longer - investigation that has taxed him to the uttermost, and left him in fear for his life and the lives of those he cares for. I can imagine he's absolutely sincere when he claims he's ready for a change - but also wouldn't remain so once he'd had a chance to rest up.

I do find Watson's credulity in regards to the note both in character, and strangely careless. And of course I wonder how much Mycroft knew ahead of time...

Great questions!