Study in Scarlet
A SYNOPSIS WRITTEN BY TOM CAMPBELL, SHS
A STUDY IN SCARLET was written by Arthur Conan Doyle, and was orginally published in The Beeton's Christmas Annual in 1887. The original story was approximately 43,465 words in length, while this synopsis is only 1,172 words. It can be used to help the reader prepare for a discussion about the story. This synopsis may be used by other Sherlockian groups without prior permission, provided that the author is given proper credit.
This story introduces Dr. John H. Watson, Army medical doctor, who was wounded in Afganistan. He moves to London to recover from his wounds, as well as the Termec Fever. Since he lives in a hotel, his funds run short, causing him to seek another living arrangement. While considering his options, he meets an old schoolmate named Stamford, who suggests he talk to a friend of his about possibly sharing rooms together to save money. Stamford's friend is named Sherlock Holmes, and although Watson is eager to meet him, Stamford warns him that Holmes is a little on the unusual side. |
Watson meets Holmes, and although Watson finds Holmes to be a bit odd, they agree to take a look at a flat located at 221B Baker Street. After discussing minor differences between them, they agree to share the flat and take possession immediately. After a short while sharing an flat, Watson seems confused about how Holmes makes a living. After some banter back and fourth, Holmes informs Watson that he is a consulting detective, and that he solves problems for a fee.
Holmes also tries to explain to Watson how his mind works. For example, when trying to explain to Watson about the importance of applying knowledge and retaining random facts, he states the following:
“I consider that a man's brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose. A fool takes in all the lumber of every sort that he comes across, so that the knowledge which might be useful to him gets crowded out, or at best is jumbled up with a lot of other things, so that he has a difficulty in laying his hands upon it. Now the skillful workman is very careful indeed as to what he takes into his brain-attic. He will have nothing but the tools which may help him in doing his work, but of these he has a large assortment, and all in the most perfect order. It is a mistake to think that that little room has elastic walls and can distend to any extent. Depend upon it there comes a time when for every addition of knowledge you forget something that you knew before. It is of the highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing out the useful ones.”
An opportunity arises that will help Watson understand more about Holmes when Holmes is called out on a case, and Watson tags along. The case involves a dead man named Enoch Drebber, found in a empty house in Lauriston Gardens who has died there under very unusual circumstances. Holmes begins his investigation, and Watson is amazed at his new friends methods and abilities.
The initial investigation at the scene of the crime turns up several clues, causing Holmes to interview the officer who found Drebber's body. Holmes also dispatchs a telegram to America for needed information. Holmes and Watson return home to consider the facts surrounding the case. It's obvious that Holmes has some ideas about the case, but more information is needed for confirmation. Watson is surprised to see Holmes employ a youth named Wiggins along with some of his friends to help help with his investigation.
Hours later, Holmes and Watson are joined by two Scotland Yard detectives at 221B Baker Street, Gregson and Lestrade, who came to reveal what their investigations have turned up so far. Gregson reports that he has arrested a person who he believes killed Drebber, while Lestrade reports that Drebber's secretary named Joseph Stangerson has also been found murdered. Lestrade added that he had found a small box with 2 pills inside at the scene of the crime. After examining the evidence from Lestrade, Holmes exclaims that except for some minor details that still have to be uncovered, has solved the case. He goes on to prove his theory by testing the pills on a small dog. The dog's death confirms Holmes' theory.
Watson, Gregson, and Lestrade are all completely in the dark at this point, and demand that Holmes tell them what he has been able to uncover about the case. But Holmes refuses, explaining that revealing too much information now would jepordise the case. At that moment, the youth named Wiggins enters the room, and notifies Holmes that the cab he wanted has arrived. Holmes instructs Wiggins to ask the cab driver to come up to help with a suitcase. The cabbie comes up, and as he leans over to pick up the suitcase, Holmes quickly places handcuffs on his wrist. Before anyone else can say a word, Holmes then idenrifies the cab driver to be none other than Mr. Jefferson Hope, the killer of both Drebber and Stangerson. Obviously, this came as a total shock to Watson, Gregson, and Lestrade. And although Hope tries to escape through the window, he is subdued.
So although Holmes has solved the mystery behind the deaths of Drebber and Stangerson, and helped Scotland Yard arrest the accused murderer, Jefferson Hope, Conan Doyle now presents important background information that will reveal the method and motive behind the whole affair.
The background information involves a man named John Ferrier and his daughter, Lucy, who are stranded in a remote desert in the United States of America. They are close to dying from thirst and starvation, but are rescued in the nick of time by a large group of travellers. The group, who turn out to be the Mormans, agree to help Ferrier and his daughter under the condition the two of them embrace Mormanism. Of course, Ferrier accepts their offer, and they join the convoy, who ultimately settle in Utah.
As the years pass, Ferrier works the land given to him, and becomes very wealthy. All the while, Lucy grows into a beautiful young woman. All goes very well for them both, until the ruling council demands that Lucy marry someone within their faith. They even go as far as to stipulate that she must choose between Enoch Drebber and Joseph Stangerson, the sons of two predominant council members.
Because Lucy has already fallen in love with a gentile named Jefferson Hope, she and her father decide they must flee Utah to escape the marriage demand, and for their own personal safety. So with help from Jefferson Hope, they sneak out of Salt Lake City. Unfortunately, they are followed and eventually caught by Drebber and Stangerson. Then, while Hope is out looking for food, John Ferrier is killed, and Lucy is taken back and forced to marry Drebber. Her grief is so great, that she dies within a month of a broken heart. When Hope finds out what has happened, he makes it his life long mission to hunt down Drebber and Stangerson and make them pay for Lucy's death.
Back at Baker Street, Holmes decides that it's best to transport Jefferson Hope to Scotland Yard, where he can be officially questioned. It's at that point that Hope reveals the details about how he tracked down Drebber and Stangerson, and how each one died. He said he gave Drebber a chance to live by letting him choose between two pills, one which contained poison, and the other which was harmless. Drebber chose the poison pill, and died on the spot. Hope explained that he tried to do the same for Stangerson, but instead ended up stabbing him to death in self defense. When asked about why he chose the pill method, Hope said that he could not bring himself to kill the two men "in cold blood." Therefore, he used the pill method to give each man an opportunity to "have a show for his life, if he chose to take advantage of it."
Before Jefferson Hope could be brought before a magistrate to answer for his crimes, he died when his aneurysm bursts. Holmes then explains to Watson how he solved the crime, laying out the clues one after the other. The story ends with Watson promising to record the events in his journal, and make them available for the public to read. He then produces a quote written in Latin, which when translated, means the following:
"The public hisses at me, but I applaud myself in my own house, and simultaneously contemplate the money in my chest."
Holmes also tries to explain to Watson how his mind works. For example, when trying to explain to Watson about the importance of applying knowledge and retaining random facts, he states the following:
“I consider that a man's brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose. A fool takes in all the lumber of every sort that he comes across, so that the knowledge which might be useful to him gets crowded out, or at best is jumbled up with a lot of other things, so that he has a difficulty in laying his hands upon it. Now the skillful workman is very careful indeed as to what he takes into his brain-attic. He will have nothing but the tools which may help him in doing his work, but of these he has a large assortment, and all in the most perfect order. It is a mistake to think that that little room has elastic walls and can distend to any extent. Depend upon it there comes a time when for every addition of knowledge you forget something that you knew before. It is of the highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing out the useful ones.”
An opportunity arises that will help Watson understand more about Holmes when Holmes is called out on a case, and Watson tags along. The case involves a dead man named Enoch Drebber, found in a empty house in Lauriston Gardens who has died there under very unusual circumstances. Holmes begins his investigation, and Watson is amazed at his new friends methods and abilities.
The initial investigation at the scene of the crime turns up several clues, causing Holmes to interview the officer who found Drebber's body. Holmes also dispatchs a telegram to America for needed information. Holmes and Watson return home to consider the facts surrounding the case. It's obvious that Holmes has some ideas about the case, but more information is needed for confirmation. Watson is surprised to see Holmes employ a youth named Wiggins along with some of his friends to help help with his investigation.
Hours later, Holmes and Watson are joined by two Scotland Yard detectives at 221B Baker Street, Gregson and Lestrade, who came to reveal what their investigations have turned up so far. Gregson reports that he has arrested a person who he believes killed Drebber, while Lestrade reports that Drebber's secretary named Joseph Stangerson has also been found murdered. Lestrade added that he had found a small box with 2 pills inside at the scene of the crime. After examining the evidence from Lestrade, Holmes exclaims that except for some minor details that still have to be uncovered, has solved the case. He goes on to prove his theory by testing the pills on a small dog. The dog's death confirms Holmes' theory.
Watson, Gregson, and Lestrade are all completely in the dark at this point, and demand that Holmes tell them what he has been able to uncover about the case. But Holmes refuses, explaining that revealing too much information now would jepordise the case. At that moment, the youth named Wiggins enters the room, and notifies Holmes that the cab he wanted has arrived. Holmes instructs Wiggins to ask the cab driver to come up to help with a suitcase. The cabbie comes up, and as he leans over to pick up the suitcase, Holmes quickly places handcuffs on his wrist. Before anyone else can say a word, Holmes then idenrifies the cab driver to be none other than Mr. Jefferson Hope, the killer of both Drebber and Stangerson. Obviously, this came as a total shock to Watson, Gregson, and Lestrade. And although Hope tries to escape through the window, he is subdued.
So although Holmes has solved the mystery behind the deaths of Drebber and Stangerson, and helped Scotland Yard arrest the accused murderer, Jefferson Hope, Conan Doyle now presents important background information that will reveal the method and motive behind the whole affair.
The background information involves a man named John Ferrier and his daughter, Lucy, who are stranded in a remote desert in the United States of America. They are close to dying from thirst and starvation, but are rescued in the nick of time by a large group of travellers. The group, who turn out to be the Mormans, agree to help Ferrier and his daughter under the condition the two of them embrace Mormanism. Of course, Ferrier accepts their offer, and they join the convoy, who ultimately settle in Utah.
As the years pass, Ferrier works the land given to him, and becomes very wealthy. All the while, Lucy grows into a beautiful young woman. All goes very well for them both, until the ruling council demands that Lucy marry someone within their faith. They even go as far as to stipulate that she must choose between Enoch Drebber and Joseph Stangerson, the sons of two predominant council members.
Because Lucy has already fallen in love with a gentile named Jefferson Hope, she and her father decide they must flee Utah to escape the marriage demand, and for their own personal safety. So with help from Jefferson Hope, they sneak out of Salt Lake City. Unfortunately, they are followed and eventually caught by Drebber and Stangerson. Then, while Hope is out looking for food, John Ferrier is killed, and Lucy is taken back and forced to marry Drebber. Her grief is so great, that she dies within a month of a broken heart. When Hope finds out what has happened, he makes it his life long mission to hunt down Drebber and Stangerson and make them pay for Lucy's death.
Back at Baker Street, Holmes decides that it's best to transport Jefferson Hope to Scotland Yard, where he can be officially questioned. It's at that point that Hope reveals the details about how he tracked down Drebber and Stangerson, and how each one died. He said he gave Drebber a chance to live by letting him choose between two pills, one which contained poison, and the other which was harmless. Drebber chose the poison pill, and died on the spot. Hope explained that he tried to do the same for Stangerson, but instead ended up stabbing him to death in self defense. When asked about why he chose the pill method, Hope said that he could not bring himself to kill the two men "in cold blood." Therefore, he used the pill method to give each man an opportunity to "have a show for his life, if he chose to take advantage of it."
Before Jefferson Hope could be brought before a magistrate to answer for his crimes, he died when his aneurysm bursts. Holmes then explains to Watson how he solved the crime, laying out the clues one after the other. The story ends with Watson promising to record the events in his journal, and make them available for the public to read. He then produces a quote written in Latin, which when translated, means the following:
"The public hisses at me, but I applaud myself in my own house, and simultaneously contemplate the money in my chest."