Unraveling Mystery and Excitement in Conan Doyle's "The Sign of the Four

Conan Doyle masterfully presents mystery and excitement in "The Sign of the Four" through intriguing plot twists, vivid settings, complex characters, and suspenseful language. Exploring the hunt for treasure, the story is woven with clues, murder, and betrayal, leading to a thrilling boat chase and confrontation with evil characters. Key extracts highlight dark journeys, mysterious murders, and heart-pounding chase sequences, enhancing the overall suspense and intrigue of the narrative.

• Mystery
• Excitement
• Conan Doyle
• Detective Fiction
• Analysis

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1. English Literature Lesson: Tuesday English Literature Lesson: Tuesday 24 24th thMarch March How does Conan Doyle present mystery and excitement in The Sign of the Four ?

2. I will need: Lesson slides and audio to listen to instructions Access to the extracts (word documents) or my own copy of The Sign of The Four. Something to write with (one drive? In my book?) What we are practising: Exploring how Doyle creates mystery and excitement, trough plot, character, setting and language. Writing / responding to literature Lesson Outcome: Essay Plan and response

3. Task One: Recall From memory, try and recall at least 8 typical features (or conventions) of the detective fiction genre.

4. Task One: Possible Answers 1. 2. 3. A crime Setting often an isolated place so there is a small number of suspects Characters usually a relatively small number of characters many of whom appear to have a motive for the crime Plot structure author deliberately plants red herrings (false clues) to confuse the reader The detective very intelligent] Locked Room incidents The detective s friend normally not as intelligent so allows the detective to explain his reasoning The innocent accused The police contrast between the methods of the police and the detective Delayed denouncement suspense so that we don t find out until the end The climax final dramatic explanation The fate of the guilty person some sort of justice 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12.

5. How does Conan Doyle present mystery and excitement in The Sign of the Four ? What will we focus on? Big Ideas: 1. The search for the treasure is linked with mysterious places and settings; ending with an exciting boat chase 2. The story is filled with mystery, clues, murder and betrayal. 3. Mystery and Excitement is linked to the perusal of the criminals. Our heroes, Watson and Holmes, in pursuit of evil and savage criminals (Tonga and Small) Linked themes: Fear | Settings | Tension | Treasure | Evil

6. Key Extracts: Index What will we focus on? 1. Chapter 3 A dark and mysterious journey through London Chapter 5 The mysterious, terrifying murder of Bartholomew Sholto. Chapter 10 The exciting boat chase. Chapter 10 The death of the mysterious and terrifying savage . 2. 3. 4.

7. Extract One: Chapter 3 A dark and mysterious journey through London It was a September evening, and not yet seven o clock, but the day had been a dreary one, and a dense drizzly fog lay low upon the great city. Mud-coloured clouds drooped sadly over the muddy streets. Down the Strand the lamps were but misty splotches of diffused light which threw a feeble circular glimmer upon the slimy pavement. The yellow glare from the shop-windows streamed out into the steamy, vaporous air, and threw a murky, shifting radiance across the crowded thoroughfare. There was, to my mind, something eerie and ghost-like in the endless procession of faces which flitted across these narrow bars of light, sad faces and glad, haggard and merry. Like all human kind, they flitted from the gloom into the light, and so back into the gloom once more. I am not subject to impressions, but the dull, heavy evening, with the strange business upon which we were engaged, combined to make me nervous and depressed. I could see from Miss Morstan s manner that she was suffering from the same feeling. Holmes alone could rise superior to petty influences. He held his open note-book upon his knee, and from time to time he jotted down figures and memoranda in the light of his pocket-lantern. - - - What is being described in the extract? How does Russell use language to create mystery and tension? Why does Russell make these choices what are his intentions?

8. Extract Two: Chapter 5 The mysterious, terrifying murder of Bartholomew Sholto. Holmes knocked without receiving any answer, and then tried to turn the handle and force it open. It was locked on the inside, however, and by a broad and powerful bolt, as we could see when we set our lamp up against it. The key being turned, however, the hole was not entirely closed. Sherlock Holmes bent down to it, and instantly rose again with a sharp intaking of the breath. There is something devilish in this, Watson, said he, more moved than I had ever before seen him. What do you make of it? I stooped to the hole, and recoiled in horror. Moonlight was streaming into the room, and it was bright with a vague and shifty radiance. Looking straight at me, and suspended, as it were, in the air, for all beneath was in shadow, there hung a face, the very face of our companion Thaddeus. There was the same high, shining head, the same circular bristle of red hair, the same bloodless countenance. The features were set, however, in a horrible smile, a fixed and unnatural grin, which in that still and moonlit room was more jarring to the nerves than any scowl or contortion. - - - What is being described in the extract? How does Russell use language to create mystery and tension? Why does Russell make these choices what are his intentions?

9. Extract Three: Chapter 10 The exciting boat chase. We must catch her! cried Holmes, between his teeth. Heap it on, stokers! Make her do all she can! If we burn the boat we must have them! We were fairly after her now. The furnaces roared, and the powerful engines whizzed and clanked, like a great metallic heart. Her sharp, steep prow cut through the river-water and sent two rolling waves to right and to left of us. With every throb of the engines we sprang and quivered like a living thing. One great yellow lantern in our bows threw a long, flickering funnel of light in front of us. Right ahead a dark blur upon the water showed where the Aurora lay, and the swirl of white foam behind her spoke of the pace at which she was going. We flashed past barges, steamers, merchant-vessels, in and out, behind this one and round the other. Voices hailed us out of the darkness, but still the Aurora thundered on, and still we followed close upon her track. Pile it on, men, pile it on! cried Holmes, looking down into the engine-room, while the fierce glow from below beat upon his eager, aquiline face. Get every pound of steam you can. - - - What is being described in the extract? How does Russell use language to create mystery and tension? Why does Russell make these choices what are his intentions?

10. Extract Four: Chapter 10 The death of the mysterious and terrifying savage . Holmes had already drawn his revolver, and I whipped out mine at the sight of this savage, distorted creature. He was wrapped in some sort of dark ulster or blanket, which left only his face exposed; but that face was enough to give a man a sleepless night. Never have I seen features so deeply marked with all bestiality and cruelty. His small eyes glowed and burned with a sombre light, and his thick lips were writhed back from his teeth, which grinned and chattered at us with a half animal fury. Fire if he raises his hand, said Holmes, quietly. We were within a boat s-length by this time, and almost within touch of our quarry. I can see the two of them now as they stood, the white man with his legs far apart, shrieking out curses, and the unhallowed dwarf with his hideous face, and his strong yellow teeth gnashing at us in the light of our lantern. It was well that we had so clear a view of him. Even as we looked he plucked out from under his covering a short, round piece of wood, like a school-ruler, and clapped it to his lips. Our pistols rang out together. He whirled round, threw up his arms, and with a kind of choking cough fell sideways into the stream. I caught one glimpse of his venomous, menacing eyes amid the white swirl of the waters. - - - What is being described in the extract? How does Russell use language to create mystery and tension? Why does Russell make these choices what are his intentions?

11. Essay Planning Main Idea Key quotations / references to support E.g Conan Doyle creates excitement through a vividly described, high action, intense boat chase. Doyle s use of dialogue especially Holmes and his use of exclamative. Doyle s use of personification for the boat.

12. Essay Writing Conan Doyle uses ______ to create a sense of mystery when . Throughout the whole novel, mystery and excitement are created by Especially in chapter ______ the reader experiences _____ when . WHAT is the writer describing (big idea) This can be seen in chapter ____ when ____ is described as .. Within the extract, the phrase For example, Doyle uses the phrase . to describe HOW does the writer do this (language, structure, choices) Especially, the word .. suggests . Conan Doyle creates the image of .. Which . As readers, we are left with feelings of _______ as ______ This could be symbolic of As a consequence, the reader Perhaps Conan Doyle does ______ to make the reader feel _______ WHY has this choice been made? (bigger ideas about characters and themes