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Elementary, My Dear Sherlock Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective brought to life by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in 1887. His adventures originally consisted of fifty-six short stories and four novels, but Sherlock has since popped up into movies, TV shows, kids’ books, and lots of other forms of entertainment. Elementary, a TV show on CBS, and Sherlock, another TV show on BBC, are the two newest forms of Sherlock Holmes in pop-culture. While they focus on the same main idea, they differ on some key details.
Elementary throws the common perspective of Dr. Watson on its head and makes Watson female. Played by Lucy Liu, Dr. Joan Watson shares an apartment with Sherlock to help him with his drug problem. Watson wants to live a somewhat normal life, marry, and help the needy, but Sherlock doesn’t feel like he needs that kind of thing. Sherlock, played by Johnny Lee Miller, often stays up all night to get a little headway on the case. Sherlock will pry his way into the brain of his foe using anything he can until he gets his way. Technology has a huge part in Elementary, often giving them a leg up to the next step of the mystery. Sherlock is a British show focusing on the witty Mr. Sherlock Holmes, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, and the strange but insightful ways of deducting a person’s natural habits by the stuff they are wearing or own. For example, in the first episode, A Study in Pink, Sherlock is able to deduct that Dr. John Watson’s Sister is an alcoholic and that Watson’s sister was divorcing her husband from looking at the cover of his phone. Watson was an army doctor from Afghanistan who met Sherlock because of a friend, and after one time having met, they become roommates. The two shows have a lot in common while being entirely different. The most obvious differences include Watson’s gender, the location, and background of characters. In Sherlock, Watson is an ex-military doctor, while in Elementary; Watson is helping Sherlock get through drug abuse. Even though both shows are based off Sir Conan Doyle’s series, they take very different attitudes, especially since they take place in different countries. In 1893, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle published a story trying to kill Sherlock off. In The Final Problem, James Moriarty, Sherlock’s greatest opponent is finally introduced. During his quest to find Moriarty, Sherlock and Watson decide to stop and look at Reichenbach Falls, a natural wonder in Switzerland. While admiring it, a boy appears with a note that says that there is a sick Englishwoman back in town who wants an English doctor. It is, of course, a hoax, and Sherlock knows that, but he lets Watson go anyway, leaving him alone. After realizing that it was fake, Watson rushes back to Reichenbach Falls and sees two pairs footprints going towards a ledge and none returning, his conclusion being that both men fell to their deaths. This caused uproar. Fans everywhere, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s mom, demanded that he bring Sherlock back. Sherlock ended up coming back, in The Hound of the Baskervilles, which takes place before the falls, and The Return of Sherlock Holmes, which, as you guessed, demonstrates how Sherlock stayed alive. Sherlock is a large part of modern pop-culture and will not be forgotten soon. Elementary, My Dear Sherlock
Sherlock Holmes is a fictional detective brought to life by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in 1887. His adventures originally consisted of fifty-six short stories and four novels, but it has since popped up into movies, TV shows, kids’ books, and lots of other forms of entertainment. Elementary, a TV show on CBS, and Sherlock, another TV show on BBC, are the two newest forms of Sherlock Holmes in pop-culture. Elementary throws the common perspective of Dr. Watson on its head and makes Watson female. Played by Lucy Liu, Dr. Joan Watson shares an apartment with Sherlock to help him with his drug problem. Watson wants to live a somewhat normal life, marry, and help the needy, but Sherlock doesn’t feel like he needs that kind of thing. Sherlock, played by Johnny Lee Miller, often stays up all night to get a little headway on the case. Sherlock will pry his way into the brain of his foe using anything he can until he gets his way. Technology has a huge part in Elementary, often giving them a leg up to the next step of the mystery. Sherlock is a British show focusing on the witty Mr. Sherlock Holmes, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, and the strange but insightful ways of deducting a person’s natural habits by the stuff they are wearing or own. For example, in the first episode, A Study in Pink, Sherlock is able to deduct that Dr. John Watson’s Sister is an alcoholic and that Watson’s sister was divorcing her husband from looking at the cover of his phone. Watson was an army doctor from Afghanistan who met Sherlock by chance and decided that he was a nice guy. The two shows have a lot in common while being entirely different. The most obvious differences include Watson’s gender, the location, and background of characters. Elementary, My Dear Sherlock Holmes
Albert Einstein and Srinivasa Ramanujan sound completely different, but are actually a lot the same. That is true for the two new TV shows, Elementary and Sherlock, about modern-day Sherlock Holmes. I’m just here to show you what is different and what is the same about the two. Let’s Start with Dr. Watson. In Elementary, Lucy Liu plays Watson, which is a twist on the original Sherlock Holmes, as Lucy Liu is female. Watson in Sherlock is exactly as I imagined him from the books, a stately British doctor who entirely trusts Sherlock. But they’re both doctors who are helping Sherlock solve cases who have little to no idea what he’s doing until he explains them. Now to Sherlock Holmes. In Elementary, Sherlock uses a lot of technology to hack into places and persuade people to help him get what he wants. I could go on and on and on and on… about Sherlock from Sherlock. He is a brilliant man who, in the first episode, deducted that Watson’s brother was an Alcoholic from looking at Watson’s phone. Not even at text messages or pictures. Just the outside of the phone. Crazy, right? But however much more I like the Sherlock Sherlock; they’re both brilliant and know how to get out of a sticky situation. Albert and Srinivasa were both great mathematicians that changed the world. I had never heard of Srinivasa until now, the same thing going for Elementary. They’re both great ideas, but one is better. Writing
Choose one of the following writing assignments below, they are guidelines you can change it up some of offer your own idea or twist. Creative Writing- Fiction 1. You may wish to encourage students to try their hands at writing mystery stories of their own, modeled on Conan Doyle’s. Or, students might focus on characterization, drawing a sketch of the sort of detective they would invent if they were to write a series of mystery stories. How would they make him or her memorable? 2. Students might also try: retelling one of the stories from Holmes’ point of view, or perhaps from the point of view of the antagonist. Also possible would be composing a letter to Holmes, explaining the facts of a case the class invents and asking for his help. It might be interesting to mail the letter and see if they get an answer! 3. What Makes a Hero? Is Holmes a hero? Have students discuss what qualities they admire in their heroes. They should then discuss whether or not Holmes possesses these qualities, using examples from the text. Students may want to consider whether some of the flaws Watson acknowledges keep Holmes from becoming truly heroic in their eyes. Note: Holmes has been compared to the great heroes of epic fiction. He is a man of extraordinary, almost superhuman abilities fighting more or less alone against the forces of evil in order to protect his society. If students have studied any epic literature, you might draw this comparison. You can compare and contrast him with a real life hero that you may know. 4. Six Rules of a Good Detective Story The six standards most good detective stories follow are: 1. The crime must be significant. 2. The detective must be memorable. 3. The criminal must be a worthy opponent. 4. The clues must be made available to the reader. 5. The suspects must appear early in the story. 6. The solution must be reasonable and possible. Students could be asked to pick one of these rules and write a paragraph demonstrating that one of the stories from the text meets the standard. For a longer essay, students might select one story and discuss whether or not all six rules apply. Writing assignment idea Due Monday Feb 3: You do not have to have it done we will start it together. However I want you to look at the options and have your idea set and e-mail it to me Feb 4 before we meet the next time so I can prepare. The Speckled Band In 1927 Arthur Conan Doyle published a list of his twelve favorite Sherlock Holmes stories. The top two on his list were “The Speckled Band” and “The Red-Headed League.” Conan Doyle also made his favorite story, “The Speckled Band,” into a play, using what he called a “fine rock boa” to play the title role. He described in an interview his disgust when one critic complained that the play contained “a palpably artificial serpent,” noting “I was inclined to offer him a goodly sum if he would undertake to go to bed with it.” He added, “We had several snakes at different times, but they were none of them born actors and they were all inclined either to hang down from the hole in the wall like inanimate bell-pulls, or else turn back through the hole and get even with the stage carpenter who pinched their tails in order to make them more lively. Finally, we used artificial snakes, and everyone, including the stage carpenter, agreed that it was more satisfactory.” Vocabulary: Write a short definition for each word. For about 1/3 of the words write an antonym for the other 1/3 write a synonym for the other 1/3 remaining use it in a sentence. You may have to do some work on another piece of paper. 1. Deduction Elimination to find a solution Synonym: Selective Elimination 2. Hereditary Something you have from your family (like genes (I think)) Suzie hereditarily took after her mother 3. Aristocrat Royalty Antonym: Pauper (And we’ll never be royals…) 4. Pauper Very poor person Antonym: Aristocrat 5. Writhe Squirmy, wriggled The elephant writhed in agony. 6. Notorious Infamous Synonym: Disreputable 7. Sinister No good, Bad Synonym: Evil 8. Bland Ordinary, Usual. My day is in no way bland 9. Amiable Friendly, Nice Antonym: Torment 10. Gable The portion on a building covered by the end of a pitched roof. As I waited beneath the gable, I hummed a little tune. 11. Cunning Clever Antonym: Idiotic 12. Occupant Resident Synonym: Inhabitant 13. Homely bland, un-attractive Synonym: Ugly 14. Subtle Slight There was a very subtle draft in the house 15. Ruthless Cruel Antonym: Sympathy Study Questions for “The Speckled Band” 1. Describe the woman who has come to consult Holmes and Watson early one morning. How is she dressed? What makes Holmes think he should offer her coffee? What is odd about her hair? She is dressed in black with a veil, shivering, with gray hair. 2. Describe what Helen Stoner tells Holmes about her stepfather. Why did he go to India? What forced him to leave? He went to India to practice being a doctor and returned after beating his butler to death. 3. What happened to Helen Stoner’s mother and how did her stepfather change after her mother’s death? Her mom died, and the stepfather shut himself up in a little house 4. Describe what Helen Stoner hears just before her sister dies. What are her sister’s last words to her? “Oh my God! Helen! It was the band! The speckled band! 5. Why does Helen move into Julia’s room? What frightens her when she does? Helen moves into Julia’s room during construction, she starts hearing the whistle that her sister heard 6. Describe Dr. Roylott as he appears in Holmes’ room. Dr. Roylott appears very menacing 7. Describe Dr. Roylott’s behavior also. What does he do to try to frighten Holmes? What does he want Holmes to do? He bends a fire-poker to try and frighten holmes and he wants holmes to leave him alone 8. Holmes obtains a copy of Helen Stoner’s mother’s will, and it provides a motive for Dr. Roylott’s not wishing his stepdaughter ever to marry. Explain. The motive against marriage is that they would get 1/3 of the income to the house, 250 pounds. 9. What does Holmes learn from trying to break into the room after Miss Stoner fastens the shutters? It is entirely impossible 10. The bell-rope Holmes notices in the bedroom would have been used to summon a servant to the room. What things seem odd about the rope? It ends on a hook just inside the vent 11. Holmes and Watson see Dr. Roylott return home from their window at the Crown Inn. What do they witness that is another example of his terrible temper? He gets mad at he driver of his cart for fumbling with the gates 12. What did Holmes notice is odd about the bed? It is fastened to the floor 13. Give details about exactly what happens after Holmes and Watson hear the whistle. Holmes strikes a match, starts wailing on the rope with his cane. And then waits as the thing crawls into the other room and kills roylott 14. Describe what they find when they enter Dr. Roylott’s room after the dreadful shriek. What is the speckled band? How did the doctor die? They find roylott dead with the “swamp adder” around his head in the form of a speckled band. The doctor died from the poison of this snake 15. Earlier in the story Holmes warned Miss Stoner that if Dr. Roylott suspected he was nearby, his journey would be in vain. What did he mean by that? How do you think the doctor might have altered his plan if he had known Holmes was nearby? He might not have tried to kill her because a detective was in the area Questions for Further Discussion on “The Speckled Band” 1. One rule of a good detective story is that the criminal must be clever, a worthy opponent to the detective. In what way does Dr. Roylott meet this requirement? The ventilation shaft serves that only purpose, although it was installed as a “ventilation shaft” 2. Sherlock Holmes is known for his cleverness, his ability to make quick, rational deductions from what he sees and hears. Write a paragraph demonstrating that Holmes has these qualities based on what he is able to deduce in this story. From “she could smell his cigars” he deciphered that there was a ventilation shaft between the two rooms 3. In your opinion, does the story meet all six requirements of a good detective story? yes 4. The mood of the story is the atmosphere created by the author. What details contribute to the mood of terror Conan Doyle paints here? Look in particular at the ending, beginning with the signal light on page 44. How roylott’s scream is heard throughout the county shows how frightening that was 5. Do you feel that Dr. Roylott deserved what happened to him at the end of the story? Explain. He got karma for killing Julia, which is perfectly reasonable. “The Speckled Band” Just interesting In addition to the fact that snakes can’t hear and don’t drink milk, and cheetahs and baboons don’t live in India, no snake called a “swamp adder” exists in that country either. It is also highly unlikely that anyone could die of snakebite as quickly as Dr. Roylott does at the end of the story. Due Feb 5: by e-mail as an attachment of to the Weebly under your section. |