Characteristics of a Detective Story

The Blue Carbuncle

1. Transcribe, translate, memorize the following words and reproduce them in the context:

within one’s reach

forceps

devoid of

homely

to allude to

to swing

a patch

to smear

remonstrance

grizzled hair

to attain

cubic capacity

to go down in the world

guttering candle

to take the precaution against

crop

to induce

conviction

lank

gravity

prosperity

geniality

to stride off (3 forms)

arms akimbo

ledger

stall

to whine

gullet

dock

parched lips

to choke

to commute a felony

2. Translate the words and match them with the correct meaning:

1. cringe (v) ______to put oil on, especially as part of a religious rite

2. whimsical (adj) ______a serious crime

3. jostle (v) ______to search by carefully looking through items

4. thug (n) ______a robber or murderer; a villain

5. foresight (n) ______given to whims or odd notions, fanciful, capricious

6. sedentary (adj) ______to cower, especially in fear

7. anoint (v) ______a chest with drawers for clothes; an office

8. plausible (adj) ______seemingly possible or true

9. bureau (n) ______requiring or given to sitting; not exercising

10. quavering (adj) ______to push out of the way, often using the elbows

11. lunatic (n or adj) ______crazy or insane; an insane person

12. felony (n) ______shaking or trembling; speaking in a shaking voice

13. capacity (n) ______the volume of a place; also competence

14. rummage (v) ______loud noise, especially of people talking at once

15. hubbub (n) ______power to see the needs of the future; prudence

3. Give the definition of the following words and reproduce them in the context:

crumpled

commissionaire

timid

to conceal

adhesive

scintillating

gallows

penal servitude

slums

trifle

vestige

felony

confederate

4. Provide synonyms and translate:

disreputable

precisely

to gaze

gem

to abstract

obstinate

temptation

5. Paraphrase and make your own sentences:

knot of roughs

to take to one’s heels

on the contrary

to fall upon evil days

to go out of one’s way

to cease to love sb

by Jove!

to double over

the devil’s bait

to keep an eye on

to be compelled to do sth

his head cocked

to do sb on a wager

a sidelong glance

to file into the room

as good as one’s word

6. Self-dictations:

“No, no; he found it…Christmas goose.”

“He picked it up and gazed…in his house.”

7. Discussion questions:

1. List the facts Holmes presents to Watson about the battered billycock. Why could the hat and the goose not be returned to the owner?

2. Holmes gives Watson his magnifying glass and asks him to try his methods. What observations could Watson make?

3. What deductions does Holmes make from what they are able to observe?

4. What is found in the goose? Whose is it?

5. Who was accused of the crime, and what evidence was there against him?

6. What course of action does Sherlock Holmes decide to take after the discovery? What history does the finding have?

7. How does Sherlock Holmes figure out that Mr. Baker is innocent?

8. What does Holmes learn from the owner of the Alpha Inn?

9. How does Holmes trick the salesman?

10. Where does Holmes meet James Ryder? Who is he? How does Holmes surprise him?

11. Ryder’s confession.

12. Holmes decides to let Ryder go. Why? Do you think he did the right thing? What would you have done?

Characteristics of a Detective Story

C. Hugh Holman’s A Handbook to Literature defines a detective story as “a novel or short story in which a crime, usually a murder – the identity of the perpetrator unknown – is solved by a detective through a logical assembling and interpretation of palpable evidence, known as clues.” A good detective story generally follows six “unwritten rules.”

First, the crime must be significant, worthy of the attention it receives. Most stories involve murder, though Conan Doyle tied the majority of his crimes to greed and theft.

Second, the detective must be in some way a memorable character. He or she must be very intelligent, of course, unusually clever and observant, but also quirky, possessing perhaps some odd idiosyncrasies that distinguish him or her. Columbo’s crumpled raincoat, James Bond’s unruffled cool and high-tech gadgets, all of these things make the hero somehow distinct.

Third, along with an exceptional detective, there must be an outstanding opponent, a criminal clever enough to be a match for the hero. Solving the crime can’t be too easy.

Fourth, because a large part of the attraction of a detective story is the opportunity for the reader to try to figure out the solution along with the detective, all suspects of the crime must be introduced early in the story,

Fifth, all clues the detective discovers must be made available to the reader also.

Finally, at the end of the story, the solution must seem obvious, logical, possible. The crime must not have resulted from accident or supernatural intervention, and the detective must be able to explain all aspects of the case in a reasonable way. A fine detective story should meet each one of these standards.

Is there any one of the qualifications of a good detective story that this tale does not meet? Explain.

9. Retell the story as if you were: Watson, Peterson, Countess of Morcar, the blue carbuncle, John Horner, Catherine Cusack, Henry Baker, James Ryder

8. Reading comprehension check:

1. At the beginning of the story, Holmes is examining a hat because

1. it is a clue in a crime

2. it is an interesting mental exercise

3. he's looking for a diamond

2. The owner of the hat ran way because

1. he thought Peterson was a policeman

2. he was afraid of the yobs

3. he wanted to chase the men who had stolen his goose

3. The hat is expensive but quite old, which leads Holmes to deduce

1. the owner has lost money recently

2. the owner is quite rich

3. the owner is middle-aged

4. The diamond is discovered by

1. Holmes

2. Peterson

3. Peterson's wife

5. The police suspect _________________ of stealing the diamond

1. James Ryder, a porter

2. John Horner, a plumber

3. Lady Morcar

6. Holmes knows that Henry Baker is innocent because

1. he doesn't mind when Holmes says he's eaten the goose

2. he doesn't advertise for the goose

3. he explains he got the goose at the Alhpa Inn

7. Breckinridge, the Covent Garden salesman, doesn't want to tell Holmes where he got the geese because

1. he's trying to protect Mrs Oakshott

2. he's worried about the police

3. he's tired of being asked about the geese

8. Holmes gets Breckinridge to tell him where he got the geese by

1. offering him a pound

2. betting him they were from the country

3. asking to see his accounts books

9. Holmes agrees not to tell the police about Ryder if he

1. leaves the country

2. returns the diamond

3. tells him the whole story

10. Ryder lost the diamond when

1. a goose ate it and flew away

2. he picked up the wrong goose

3. he gave it to a criminal friend

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