Xiao 1
Xiao 2
Jerry Xiao
Mr. Torrey
English 7, Period 5
November 12, 2018
The Suspicious Detective
In Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles (1902), Sherlock Holmes - a manipulative, suspicious, and observant detective - uses his keen observations to unlock clues to find the true murderer behind a member of the prominent British Baskerville family, who people think is the ghastly hound from ancient family legends.
For instance, Holmes’s observation shows when he notices a cigarette stub on the ground containing his colleague Watson’s favorite brand name on it, leading him to surmise that Watson is around the vicinity; Holmes could’ve stumbled upon Watson by surprise if he hadn’t observed the surroundings. Also, Holmes’s observation shows when he analyzes the pictures of family member in the Baskerville Hall, leading him to pinpoint Stapleton as the lost Baskerville member by the similar evil expressions with another ancient family member. Holmes keenly observes the details and processes them in his mind when he could’ve been standing in the hall and enjoying the vivid paintings of the Baskerville family.
Also, Holmes’s manipulation appears when he first suspects the butler, Mr. Barrymore of Baskerville Hall, after finding a suspicious man in a cab that fits Barrymore’s description. Holmes’s manipulation forces him to try to catch Barrymore by sending a telegraph to see whether Barrymore is in London or Baskerville Hall when he could’ve assumed the location or used harder methods to pinpoint the location. Holme...
