Canon Discussion: The Man with the Twisted Lip

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

This week we’re having a look at The Man with the Twisted Lip. I’ve typed up a few thoughts to get the discussion going—please leave your own ideas in the comments!

...for many years he continued to be a slave to the drug… Does this imply he eventually kicked the habit? Any thoughts on what happens in Mr. and Mrs. Whitney’s future?

“Or should you rather that I sent James off to bed?” The infamous “James” moment… But whose slip is it? Entering Game mode: surely it can’t be Mary’s slip. Why would Watson record it and put it into his story? Is it Watson’s mistake? Seems odd that he gets his own name wrong. The editor’s mistake, maybe? Or it might not be a slip at all. There is the famous theory from Dorothy L. Sayers that the “H.” in Watson’s name stands for “Hamish”, and Mary is anglicising it further to “James”. And last time I found this article, which runs through a few more theories and this one, which suggests “James” is the surname of a female servant.

“I was wondering what I should say to this dear little woman to-night when she meets me at the door.” This always strikes me as evidence that Holmes doesn’t actually dislike women. “Dear little woman” is perhaps somewhat patronising, but it demonstrates concern and warmth. In DYIN Watson refers to Holmes disliking and distrusting women but being a “chivalrous opponent”. Here he’s alone with a good friend—there’s no need to be “chivalrous”. Yet he still seems sympathetic towards his client.

“But I understand that all the other clothes were found in the room. Would the body be dressed in a coat alone?” It surprises me that Holmes doesn’t seem to find the business with the clothes more important. He says to Mrs. St. Clair: “Your husband, as far as you could see, had his ordinary clothes on?” And she answers: “But without his collar or tie.” So St. Clair was pretty much dressed when his wife spotted him alive. He was apparently murdered moments after that, while his murderer could hear St. Clair’s wife trying to get up the stairs. The murderer then stripped the body and hid the clothes (apparently unconcerned his victim’s wife might be coming back with the police), and got rid of the body through the window. And then changed his mind and started getting rid of the clothes too. It just doesn’t make any sense (obviously). Why doesn’t Holmes pick up on this immediately? Though of course it might be what does eventually help him to solve the case—we have the big reveal, but Holmes never takes us through his mental process to explain how he solved the mystery.

“My dear wife knew that I had business in the City.” What about the future of the St. Clairs’ marriage? They seem to love each other dearly, but Mr. St. Clair’s income is about to plummet. And will he be able to find work again as a reporter anyway? laurose8 brought up this excellent point last time, and also came up with a few ideas as to what he might do instead: working in the theatre or becoming a novelist.

Next Sunday, 22nd March, it’s Christmas! We’ll be having a look at The Blue Carbuncle—hope you can join us then.

Comments

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

There is also the question of why, when Mrs St Clair claims to have such a keen sympathy with her husband she had no idea he was in front of her, disguised as the cripple.

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

This is a good point. But I can't really find it in myself to think badly of Mrs. St. Clair for it.

We know that this kind of sympathy (being aware what's happening to a loved one, even when you're not present) doesn't really exist - no matter how much you care about the person. (I can remember a young woman had been murdered by a "friend" and her body wasn't found for a while, so she was considered missing at first. Her much older sister had said in a statement that "we thought we'd know if she was dead". But she'd died even before her family had considered her missing.)

And Mrs. St. Clair had just seen her husband without the disguise, and was in a state of distress. It doesn't surprise me she didn't realise Boone was her husband. It is a bit of a bizarre leap to have to make.

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

This probably doesn't help much. But Holmes might have thought Mrs St Clair had underestimated the time she took to reach Boone's room from the street.

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

That is a possibility... St. Clair is murdered, his body is stripped and the clothes hidden - and only then does the murderer hear a woman trying to get up the stairs and panics.

But Holmes has been in the opium den himself - surely he would have a good idea how long it took Mrs. St. Clair to get into the building?

[tardisjournal.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the supplemental reading on the infamous "James" slip. It was most illuminating. I think my favorite theory now is that "James" refers to a servant. That seems quite plausible. :)

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

It is plausible, and very well argued and thought out. And entertaining ^^ But I still think, in context, "James" has to refer to Watson. Why the slip, we'll never know... ^_^