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sherlock602015-03-29 08:37 am
scfrankles.livejournal.com) wrote in sherlock602015-03-29 08:37 am
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Canon Discussion: The Speckled Band
This week we’re having a look at The Speckled Band. I’ve typed up a few thoughts to get the discussion going—please leave your own ideas in the comments!
...the untimely death of the lady to whom the pledge was given. You have got to feel sorry for Helen Stoner. Her father and mother die, her sister is murdered by her stepfather and then she herself dies prematurely—only surviving 8 years after this adventure. Any thoughts on her death?
...there are widespread rumours as to the death of Dr. Grimesby Roylott which tend to make the matter even more terrible than the truth. I wonder what the rumours could be… It’s hard to think of something worse than “he was bitten by a poisonous snake while attempting to murder his stepdaughter with it.” Though…is Watson telling us the truth? As this article states, snakes are deaf and can’t hear a whistle; and though a snake could climb a solid object, it wouldn’t be able to climb a bell-rope. And this article debunks the myth that snakes like milk—ashamed to say that it had never occurred to me that, as they’re not mammals, it’s pretty unlikely they would. Though the article does state: “When severely dehydrated, a snake might drink any liquid available.” I suppose the snake may have drunk the milk if that’s all Roylott was offering it but it wouldn’t be tempted by it otherwise.
And… there is no snake called the swamp adder! Yes. Shocking, I know.
"You must not fear," said he soothingly, bending forward and patting her forearm. Once again, this suggests to me that Holmes doesn’t actually dislike women. He isn’t simply being chivalrous—that pat on the arm seems a rather sympathetic gesture.
"Farintosh," said he. "Ah yes, I recall the case; it was concerned with an opal tiara.” Any thoughts on this case?
In a fit of anger, however… he beat his native butler to death and narrowly escaped a capital sentence.” Stepping out of the Game for a moment, doesn’t ACD give Roylott a rather mixed personality? He’s apparently a man who can’t control his violent temper. But the murder and attempted murder of his stepdaughters are so cold-blooded, and calmly well-planned.
“My sister Julia and I were twins, and we were only two years old at the time of my mother's re-marriage.” I wonder exactly how Miss Stoner feels about Roylott. Does she view him as a father? I suppose in most cases someone brought up by a stepfather from the age of two would think of him simply as their father. But Roylott was in prison for a long time of course, being released when the girls were in their early 20s. (Miss Stoner indirectly tells us she’s 32, and that her mother died 8 years ago, just after they returned to England—I assume the family returned immediately to England once Roylott was released.) Maybe Roylott was practically a stranger to his stepdaughters.
“Shortly after our return to England my mother died — she was killed eight years ago in a railway accident near Crewe.” Any thoughts on Mrs. Roylott’s death? A previous 60 suggests it may not have been an accident…
“...a dear friend, whom I have known for many years, has done me the honour to ask my hand in marriage.” What do you think of Percy Armitage? He isn’t terribly sympathetic towards his fiancee. He doesn’t seem to me to be much of a friend, to be honest—never mind anything else.
"There is some building going on there," said Holmes; "that is where we are going." ...explaining that we were going on a late visit to an acquaintance, and that it was possible that we might spend the night there. I’m rather impressed how Holmes manages to mislead without actually lying.
"I have really some scruples as to taking you to-night. There is a distinct element of danger." Why on earth doesn’t Holmes just tell Watson that a snake is likely to be coming down the dummy bell-rope? It would seem like a good idea to have him prepared for that situation—this isn’t the best time for one of Holmes’ dramatic reveals.
Next Sunday, 5th April, we’ll be having a look at The Engineer’s Thumb. Hope you can join us then.
...the untimely death of the lady to whom the pledge was given. You have got to feel sorry for Helen Stoner. Her father and mother die, her sister is murdered by her stepfather and then she herself dies prematurely—only surviving 8 years after this adventure. Any thoughts on her death?
...there are widespread rumours as to the death of Dr. Grimesby Roylott which tend to make the matter even more terrible than the truth. I wonder what the rumours could be… It’s hard to think of something worse than “he was bitten by a poisonous snake while attempting to murder his stepdaughter with it.” Though…is Watson telling us the truth? As this article states, snakes are deaf and can’t hear a whistle; and though a snake could climb a solid object, it wouldn’t be able to climb a bell-rope. And this article debunks the myth that snakes like milk—ashamed to say that it had never occurred to me that, as they’re not mammals, it’s pretty unlikely they would. Though the article does state: “When severely dehydrated, a snake might drink any liquid available.” I suppose the snake may have drunk the milk if that’s all Roylott was offering it but it wouldn’t be tempted by it otherwise.
And… there is no snake called the swamp adder! Yes. Shocking, I know.
"You must not fear," said he soothingly, bending forward and patting her forearm. Once again, this suggests to me that Holmes doesn’t actually dislike women. He isn’t simply being chivalrous—that pat on the arm seems a rather sympathetic gesture.
"Farintosh," said he. "Ah yes, I recall the case; it was concerned with an opal tiara.” Any thoughts on this case?
In a fit of anger, however… he beat his native butler to death and narrowly escaped a capital sentence.” Stepping out of the Game for a moment, doesn’t ACD give Roylott a rather mixed personality? He’s apparently a man who can’t control his violent temper. But the murder and attempted murder of his stepdaughters are so cold-blooded, and calmly well-planned.
“My sister Julia and I were twins, and we were only two years old at the time of my mother's re-marriage.” I wonder exactly how Miss Stoner feels about Roylott. Does she view him as a father? I suppose in most cases someone brought up by a stepfather from the age of two would think of him simply as their father. But Roylott was in prison for a long time of course, being released when the girls were in their early 20s. (Miss Stoner indirectly tells us she’s 32, and that her mother died 8 years ago, just after they returned to England—I assume the family returned immediately to England once Roylott was released.) Maybe Roylott was practically a stranger to his stepdaughters.
“Shortly after our return to England my mother died — she was killed eight years ago in a railway accident near Crewe.” Any thoughts on Mrs. Roylott’s death? A previous 60 suggests it may not have been an accident…
“...a dear friend, whom I have known for many years, has done me the honour to ask my hand in marriage.” What do you think of Percy Armitage? He isn’t terribly sympathetic towards his fiancee. He doesn’t seem to me to be much of a friend, to be honest—never mind anything else.
"There is some building going on there," said Holmes; "that is where we are going." ...explaining that we were going on a late visit to an acquaintance, and that it was possible that we might spend the night there. I’m rather impressed how Holmes manages to mislead without actually lying.
"I have really some scruples as to taking you to-night. There is a distinct element of danger." Why on earth doesn’t Holmes just tell Watson that a snake is likely to be coming down the dummy bell-rope? It would seem like a good idea to have him prepared for that situation—this isn’t the best time for one of Holmes’ dramatic reveals.
Next Sunday, 5th April, we’ll be having a look at The Engineer’s Thumb. Hope you can join us then.