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Elsa Buehler
Mrs. Lesnett
Honors English 2/3
4/16/13
“The Adventure of the Speckled Band”
“Violence does, in truth, recoil upon the violent, and the schemer falls into the pit which
he digs for another” (Doyle 21). In Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Adventure of the Speckled
Band,” a clever detective named Sherlock Holmes and his partner Watson tackle the mysterious
murder case of a young woman’s twin sister. A woman, about to be married, mysteriously dies
with no cause of death and after hearing a strange whistling noise and exclaiming nonsense to
her twin sister about a ‘speckled band.’ Then, the sister herself is to be married, moves into her
dead sister’s room, and hears the whistle. Holmes pries each detail from the woman, coming to a
conclusion and making a quick decision that saves her life. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The
Adventure of the Speckled Band,” starring Sherlock Holmes, is a good detective story because
the detective is memorable, the criminal is a worthy opponent, and the clues are made fully
available to the reader.
In “The Adventure of the Speckled Band,” the detective, Sherlock Holmes, is most
certainly memorable. Not only does he have several trademark possessions- a deerstalker hat,
pipe, and magnifying glass -he also has a unique sense of humor. When an angry, murderous
man storms into his office and begins to scream at him, Holmes impartially replies, “It is a little
cold for the time of the year...But I have heard the crocuses promise well” (Doyle 10). When the
man later died in the story, Holmes observed, “In this way I am no doubt indirectly responsible
for Dr. Grimesby Roylott’s death, and I cannot say that it is likely to weigh very heavily upon
my conscience” (Doyle 22).
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Sir Arthur Conan Doyle does not by any means skimp on a ferocious villain in his story,
“The Adventure of the Speckled Band.” The crook, as portrayed in this next passage, is a
physically intimidating man. “ ‘I am a dangerous man to fall foul of!’...(he) seized the poker, and
bent it into a curve with his huge brown hands” (Doyle 10). If this was not enough to make a
terrifying criminal, Dr. Roylott was also an extremely sharp and cunning man. Says Sherlock
Holmes, “ ‘The idea of using a form of poison which could not possibly be discovered by any
chemical test was just such a one as would occur to a clever and ruthless man who had had an
Eastern training” (Doyle 21).
The story “The Adventure of the Speckled Band” provides the reader with fairly plain
clues so that the reader has the opportunity to solve the crime if the reader is willing to take the
time to investigate them. Throughout the story, Sherlock Holmes points out the clues or else they
are emphasized in other ways. He tells Watson, “It is evident, therefore, that if both girls had
married, this beauty would have had a mere pittance, while even one of them would cripple him
to a very serious extent” (Doyle 11). Again, Holmes points out to Watson, “Did you observe
anything very peculiar about that bed?” (Doyle 18). By asking this, he immediately creates
suspicion within the reader.
“The Adventure of the Speckled Band,” by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is an excellent detective
story, meeting the standards of having a memorable detective, a worthy opponent, and clues that
are simple enough for the readers to understand and piece together. Sherlock Holmes, is
memorable as a clever and somewhat cocky detective who possesses a deerstalker hat, pipe, and
looking glass. Dr. Grimesby Roylott, the criminal, meets the standards of a worthy opponent
thanks to his voluminous and intimidating figure, and also his cunning and cleverness, all
contributing to his capability of murder. The third standard is met by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
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who wrote this story with the reader in mind, intending for them to potentially be able to crack
the case on their own. In conclusion, the humor of the main character, the worthiness of the
crook, and the somewhat interactive mystery plot all combine to create an entertaining story, or
at the very least, one that meets the standards of a good detective story.