Independant Novel Projects (10 Questions)

Independent Novel Projects


1. Give a brief summary of the plot in about ½ to 1 page. Tell the story and describe what happens at the end.
‘The scandal in Bohemia’ is a story where the King of Bohemia visits for Sherlock Holmes’s help when threatened by his ex-girlfriend. His ex-girlfriend, Irene Adler aggressively argues that she would send the picture of two of them together to the King’s fiancé to ruin their marriage. So Holmes plans a fake fire act at Irene’s house with Dr. Watson’s help. Holmes dresses up as another character, and act like a poor, old gentleman who saved Irene from a dangerous situation and who got wound badly. Irene could not avoid a kind man who almost saved her life, so decides to take him in to her house while waiting for him to gain consciousness. While he does that, Watson throws a fake-fire producing machine and causes a mess, knowing that Irene would run and get her picture to protect it. However, in the end, Irene figures Sherlock’s trick and gets away quickly enough. Holmes punishes himself for his unsuccessfulness.

2. Explain the significance of the title (3 or 4 sentences). Authors do not choose a title randomly. Usually the tile is symbolic in some way.
The significance of the title is that the King of Bohemia thought that this problem was a big scandal that could affect Germany’s history greatly.

3. Describe the setting and genre – time period, location, etc. (5-10 sentences)
Sherlock Holmes is a detective novel that was set around the Modern Era of 1800s where London was a very industrialized city with lots of criminal acts.

4. Write a few sentences about each of the main character(s). Answer what you like or dislike about them and why they are worthy of praise and/or criticism.
Sherlock Holmes: A great, cold minded detective who has the great power of observation skills, wide range of knowledge especially in human nature and science. His characteristics perfectly fit to aspects of an excellent detective. I like that He is very smart and keeps the detective fascinated all throughout the novel. I dislike how he does not socialize like normal people. I think it would be better if he was more of a fun person.

Dr. Watson: The friend and partner of Sherlock Holmes who plays the narrator of the novel. He helps Sherlock Holmes with physical action and also highlights the genius of Sherlock Holmes’s deductions. I like how he knows a lot about Sherlock Holmes and cares with his friendly nature. I dislike how he sometimes gets offended by Holmes’s cold words.

5. Write a paragraph identifying what caused a major change in the main character and explain how the character changed. These changes may have been due to a choice, a conflict, a display of some outstanding trait like courage, or even a result of events that occur during the novel.
Holmes is not afraid to show off his deduction skills as you can notice while reading the novel. However, in cases like ‘The yellow face’ and ‘The speckled band’, he gets annoyed of himself, as his deductions weren’t right. This perhaps made him more careful.

6. In double-entry journal style, copy 10 of your favorite phrase/sentences from the book and explain why you chose them.
“You see, but you do not observe.” I chose this because it suggests that most people do not take in what they see, they rather just see it and pass.
“I had seen little of Holmes lately. My marriage had drifted us away from each other. My own complete happiness, and the home-centered interests which rise up around the man who first finds himself master of his own establishment, were sufficient to absorb all my attention, while Holmes, who loathed every form of society with his whole Bohemian soul, remained in our lodgings in Baker Street, buried among his old books, and alternating from week to week between cocaine and ambition, the drowsiness of the drug, and the fierce energy of his own keen nature.” I like this quote because it shows that Holmes never changes even if time passes.
To Sherlock Holmes she is always THE woman. I have seldom heard him mention her under any other name. In his eyes she eclipses and predominates the whole of her sex. I like this quote because it suggests that one case, and this one woman who is the centre of the case changes Holmes’ whole perspective of women.
It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts. I chose this quote because it shows how much Sherlock Holmes likes do you deduction rather than to rely on ones thoughts which are usually biased.
He was, I take it, the most perfect reasoning and observing machine that the world has seen, but as a lover he would have placed himself in a false position. He never spoke of the softer passions, save with a gibe and a sneer. They were admirable things for the observer -- excellent for drawing the veil from men's motives and actions. But for the trained teasoner to admit such intrusions into his own delicate and finely adjusted temperament was to introduce a distracting factor which might throw a doubt upon all his mental results. Grit in a sensitive instrument, or a crack in one of his own high-power lenses, would not be more disturbing than a strong emotion in a nature such as his. I chose this quote because it shows how concentrated Sherlock Holmes is on his work and solely on his work. It also helps the reader to understand how Holmes is so skillful at his work, which is because he has no ‘distractions’ or other admirations.
"For example, you have frequently seen the steps which lead up from the hall to this room."
"Frequently."
"How often?"
"Well, some hundreds of times."
"Then how many are there?"
"How many? I don't know."
"Quite so! You have not observed. And yet you have seen. That is just my point. Now, I know that there are seventeen steps, because I have both seen and observed." I selected this quote because it also shows how frequently and effectively Sherlock Holmes observes.
"And the man who wrote the note is a German. Do you note the peculiar construction of the sentence -- 'This account of you we have from all quarters received.' A Frenchman or Russian could not have written that. It is the German who is so uncourteous to his verbs." I like this quote because it emphasizes Holmes’ general knowledge and his observation skills. If it were a normal person, they would have just passed over the peculiar sentence. However, Holmes immediately picks it up.
"When a woman thinks that her house is on fire, her instinct is at once to rush to the thing which she values most. It is a perfectly overpowering impulse, and I have more than once taken advantage of it. In the case of the Darlington substitution scandal it was of use to me, and also in the Arnsworth Castle business. A married woman grabs at her baby; an unmarried one reaches for her jewel-box." I like this quote because it shows that Sherlock Holmes remembers every single fact from other cases that might be of help in another.


7. Choose one sentence from the text and tell why this sentence embodies the theme of the story. Illustrate the theme/sentence using text images that you feel bring the theme to live.
“To Sherlock Holmes she is always THE woman. I have seldom heard him mention
her under any other name. In his eyes she eclipses and predominates the whole of
her sex.” This sentence embodies the theme of the story because it describes how
Holmes thinks of “THE woman”. Therefore, it illustrates that the case is one that
would be extremely interesting and also not easily forgotten. It also hints that “THE
woman” must be an extremely powerful character to be able to predominate
Holmes’ image of her sex. It provides the image that the theme of the story must be
extremely important and interesting. It also illustrates the story is a sly and
mysterious one, as Watson says that he has “seldom heard him mention her under
any other name.

8. Write a general review of the book. Would you recommend the book? Why or why not? Would you have changed any element of the story (plot, characters, setting, resolution, conflicts, point of view, etc)?
Sherlock Holmes is one of my favourite short stories because it keeps suspense until the conclusion. This makes me always have no idea how the story is going to end, and think ‘I knew that!’ after finishing it. Because I love every single part of its plot, characters, setting, conflicts and everything, I would change any element of the story. I would strongly recommend the book.

9. Write a script for a role play of a scene in your book. Try to make it lively and exciting and use the words of the characters in the book.
Appearance of the King: Six feet six inches in height; chest and limbs of a Hercules; his whole appearance was full of richness; thick, hanging lip, and a long, straight chin.
Appearance of Holmes: A hat, a coat
King: *enters, adjusting his black vizard mask with his hand* *in a deep harsh voice and a strongly marked German accent* “You had my note? I told you that I would call.” *He looks from one to the other of Watson and Holmes, as if uncertain which to address.*
Holmes: “Pray take a seat, this is my friend and partner, Dr. Watson. Whom have I the honour to address?”
King: “You may address me as the Count Von Kramm, a Bohemian nobleman. I should much prefer to communicate with you alone.”
*Watson stands up to go, but Holmes catches him by the wrist and pushes him back into his chair.*
Holmes: “It is both, or none.”
King: *Shrugs his broad shoulders* “Then I must begin. By binding you both to absolute secrecy for two years, it is of such weight it may have an influence upon European history.”
Holmes: “I promise,”
Watson: “And I.”
King: “You will excuse this mask, my master wishes his agent to be unknown to you.”
Holmes: *dryly* “I was aware of it,”
King: “The circumstances are of great delicacy, and every precaution has to be taken.”
Holmes: “I was also aware of that,” *settling himself down in his armchair and closing his eyes.*
* The King glances with some apparent surprise*
Holmes: *slowly reopened his eyes and looked impatiently at his gigantic client.* “If your Majesty would lower yourself to state your case, I should be better able to advise you.”
*The King is in a shock* *The scene ends*

10. In front of the class, you and your partner will read your answers to #1, 8 and then perform the role play (#9).