READING WORKSHOP - English class

SHERLOCK HOLMES
THE SIGN OF FOUR

Roco Padilla Huarte No.21 2ndB

THE AUTHOR...
SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE

He was born in the 19th century in Scotland, the UK.

He has worked as a doctor and a poet, but hes more
well-known for being the writer of Sherlock Holmes
stories.
When he was studying medicine, he started writing
short stories such as The Haunted Grange of
Goresthorpe.
But the first time that Sherlock Holmes appeared was
at the story published in 1887, A study in Scarlet. He
published other stories like The sign of four, in 1890. In
1893 he wrote The final problem, in this, he plunged
Holmes and Professor Moriarty to their deaths, but the
public outcry makes him to write another novel, The
Hound of the Baskervilles.
He finished writing short stories in 1927 and hes dead
in 1930.
 NARRATIVE ANALYSIS...
CHARACTER ANALYSIS

Sherlock Holmes. Hes a so highly intelligent famous detective. Hes a very

active man, working entertains him, while doing nothing makes him get bored.
Hes sometimes a difficult man and he works in strange ways, but he never gives
up. He likes music, he also plays the violin. He lives with his friend Watson at
221B Baker Street.

Dr Watson. Hes a middle-age strongly built man, with white hair, a thick neck
MAIN and a small moustache. Hes Sherlock Holmes adventures partner. He becomes
CHARACTERS Mary Morstans husband.

Mary Morstan. Shes a young woman, small, with fair hair, a pleasant face and
blue eyes. Shes serious and intelligent. She lives in Camberwell. She becomes Dr
Watsons wife.

Thaddeus Sholto. Hes a thirty-year-old man. Hes strange, small and bald. Hes
a very ugly man with bad teeth and thin lips. He was one of Major Sholtos son.
 NARRATIVE ANALYSIS...
CHARACTER ANALYSIS
Captain Morstan. He was an officer in the army in India and later he was sent
to Andaman Islands. He has disappeared under mysterious circumstances. He was
Mary Morstans father.

Major Sholto. He was an officer in the army with Captain Morstan. He didnt
have much hair and he had a moustache. After he has retired, he was living in
Norwood. He was Thaddeus and Bartholomews father.

Mrs. Hudson. Shes the housekeeper of the house 221B Baker Street.
MINOR
CHARACTERS Inspector Lestrade. Hes a man who works at the police. He physically looks
like Dr Watson. Hes impulsive and he doesnt believe much in Sherlock Holmes
methods for finding the murderer.

Wiggins. Hes the leader of Baker Street Boys, hes older and taller than the
others. He and the rest of the boys have helped Sherlock Holmes many times.

Bartholomew Sholto. He was Thaddeus Sholtos twin brother. He was found

murdered at his room in Pondicherry Lodge.
 NARRATIVE ANALYSIS...
CHARACTER ANALYSIS

Jonathan Small. Hes one of the four men who wanted the treasure. Hes had a
difficult life as he lost his leg. Hes been to prison.

Mordecai Smith. Hes a married man and hes got a child. He works hiring
ANTAGONISTS steam launches in the River Thames. He has helped Small and his associate for
hiding.

Tonga. He was a small, ugly man from Andaman Islands. He was saved by
Small, and he became his associate.
NARRATIVE ANALYSIS...
SETTING

The story is set in the summer of 1888.

It takes place in some places in London, the
UK:
221B Baker Street, where Holmes and
Watson live.
Pondicherry Lodge, where Bartholomew
Sholto has lived and where he was found
dead.
NARRATIVE ANALYSIS...
THEME

The story is principally about finding the Sign of Four

treasure, that belongs to Miss Mary Morstan.
NARRATIVE ANALYSIS...
PLOT

When Mary Morstan received pearls along the last six years,
she didnt know that the man that has sent her the pearls, was
Thaddeus. And more, she didnt know that behind her father
was a treasure, but Holmes had a feeling that it would happen
because of a paper that Mary showed him. Thaddeus brother
knew of the treasure existence, and when he was looking for it,
he was killed by Tonga, a wealth owners associate. Holmes
investigated the murder, and by thinking and practising other of
his methods, he discovered that one of the treasures possessor
was Jonathan Small.
OPINION...
OF THE BOOK

I like the book because I like mystery books and I think they
are interesting. I cant say that I like this book at all, because
I dont really like Holmes, he is sometimes high-handed. But
I think the story was OK. Although, for me, the final was
incomplete, and I dont know exactly why.
In my opinion it was maybe a bit difficult to read because
there were many characters and many stories at the same
time.