The Adventure of the Speckled Band
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Plot Analysis
Characters: Sherlock Holmes (detective), Dr. Watson (Narrator, friend, roommate, and perhaps Holmes’ partner); Helen Stoner (thirty-year-old woman; She’s the one that brought the case about her twin’s death, two years prior), Dr. Grimesby Roylott (Doctor, Helen’s stepfather, a Raylott of Stoke Moran back), Julia Stoner is mentioned throughout the book, since she’s the cause of the investigation. However, the character didn’t participate in the story development.
Setting: The story takes place in the year in April 1883, in England. The main places where this story develops are Holmes’ house or property and Roylott's mansion.
Plot:
Exposition: The exposition starts by presenting the characters, including Sherlock Holmes a detective and his fellow friend and narrator Dr. Watson. They both receive an unexpected visit from a client, Helen Stone. The problem or conflict is presented when Helen Stone presents the case about her sister’s death, including her stepfather's background, how they ended up in the mansion, how her sister died after she was engaged; She also explained that she didn’t know the reason for Julia's death, that now she was getting married. As well as, the reason why Helen wanted help was because she was experiencing the same things that her sister faced before her death (like whistles), after Helena moved to her sister’s room due to apparent “repairs” close to where her room was, and why she needed help, between other details.
Rising action: After, Holmes decides to go and look over the mansion to find some clues, on the case. When Helen leaves, her stepfather, Dr. Raylott arrives looking for her; Because he had been following her, and wanted to know why she was there, he confronts Holmes and leaves. Later Holmes’ comes back after discovering that the reason why Dr. Roylott was trying to kill her before marriage, because of the money that Helen could claim, if she got married. The rising action continues when: Holmes and Watson look over the house to find clues and see if there was something suspicious. Indeed, they found a ventilator that was connected to Dr. Roylott’s room, a bell that wasn’t attached to a wire, and a saucer of milk in Roylott’s room. To be certain of what was happening, they decided to make a plan and the stay in the Crown Inn, and after they received a signal from Helen they would enter the room and stay there, to see what Roylott would do.
Climax: The tension rose up when a light gleamed and vanished within seconds. For half an hour a noise continued, until they heard the sound of what seemed steam caping from a kettle. Immediately, Holmes sprang from the bed with his cane in hand, after they heard a whistle and later a scream. At first, they just gazed up at the ventilator, but soon they found Dr. Roylott, who sat, with his chin looking upwards and his eyed dreadful, and peculiar yellow band, that started moving.The man was dead, because of a swamp adder, the deadliest snake in India.
Falling action: Holmes took the dog whip and threw the noose around the reptile’s neck, and after locked the snake inside the iron safe. The two men explain the situation to Helen and now she would be staying with her aunt.
Resolution: The resolution clarified the end of the story and explained the reason for suspicious noises and objects, this way closing the case by saying that: At first, Holmes ran into conclusion too fast. After, they explained that Dr. Roylott did kill her daughter using a poisonous snake, whose poison couldn’t be perceived. Roylott used the bell as a bridge for the snake; while the whistles were a way to call the trained sake,and at the end the reason of this man’s death was simply because of indiscreetly playing with a dangerous pet that turned upon his own master.
Conflict: The overall conflict focuses on a woman, who had a sister, who was killed for unknown reasons but still she was suspicious of her stepfather. So, she looked for Holmes’ help.
Man vs man: This type of conflict is presented mainly between Helen and her stepfather, Dr. Roylott. Since, she’s suspicious of him because of her sister’s death, and probably her own if she didn’t receive any help. It is present between Holmes and Roylott too, not only after the doctor went to Holmes’ house demanding him to not meddle with his affairs, and also after because of Holmes trying to capture Roylott.
Man vs nature: In this case, both Roylott and Holmes, had negative interactions with the snake. Especially with Holmes, after he locked the snake in the cage, but the relation between the doctor and the snake is clear, as the snake killed him.
Man vs society: Here Roylott had severe problems with communication and self-control. He was constantly angry and fighting with the people that surrounded him : Family, neighbors and even strangers.
Theme: Don’t make conclusions too fast.
Narrator: First person. The narrator is a character of the story. Voice: Character’s voice
Mood: Mysterious, suspenseful, and gloomy. But it ends with a positive mood.
Tone: Slightly serious tone. At the end the tone seems sad or anxious. While in the rest of the story it’s pensive and docile tone.
Ending change
At the end of the story, there would be a plot twist. Instead of Dr. Roylott being the murderer, Helen would be. Helen would kill her sister and send her stepfather to prison so that she could get away with all the money. The only reason that she would’ve called Holmes would be to incriminate her stepfather of the murder by implanting fake clues. Helen would win and no one would know about what she did ever, this way letting a criminal free.
In another case, the baboon helped save the doctor from the snake. They both ran away to India, but after three years, they would be found and imprisoned.
Natalia Pérez,
Step 8 Yellow
