Ingles Sherlock Holmes 2

THESIGNOF
FOUR
Arthur Conan Doyle
He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1859. He decided to pursue a
medical degree at the University of Edinburgh. His first paying job as a
doctor was aboard the steamship Mayumba. Later, he settled in
Portsmouth and opened his first practice. It was difficult for him to
work as a doctor and a writer at the same time and finally he decided
to give up medicine.
He married twice and he had two daughters and three sons.
In 1888 he published the first mystery novel of Sherlock Holmes: A
Study in Scarlet. It was the first of 60 stories about Sherlock Holmes.
Four of the most famous Sherlock Holmes books were written
between 1890 and early years of 1900s: The Sign of Four (1890), The
Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1892), The Memoirs of Sherlock
Holmes (1894) and The Hounds of Baskervilles (1901). In 1893 he
killed his Sherlock Holmes character but eight years later he
reintroduced him.
Besides his Sherlock Homes books, he wrote science fiction stories,
historical novels, poetry and theatre plays.
He died in 1930 in Crowborough.
Character Analysis
Holmes: a famous detective who lives in Baker Street with Doctor
Watson. He is able to deduce facts, paying attention to small
details. He likes playing violin and disguising.
Doctor Watson: the narrator of Sherlock Holmes stories. He had

been a doctor in the army and he lives with Holmes.
Miss Morstan: a young and small woman with fair hair and blue
eyes. She is working as a governess. She asked Sherlock Holmes to
help her to find her missing father ( an officer in the army called
Captain Morstan)
Thaddeus Sholto: a very ugly little man with bad teeth and
thin lips. His father was Major Sholto, who served in the
army with Captain Morstan. He has a twin brother called
Bartholomew Sholto. He wants to tell Mary Morstan what
happened to her father.
Lestrade: detective inspector who works in New Scotland

Yard. Sherlock Holmes helps him a lot in this case. He is
surprised several times by Sherlock Holmes methods and
actions.
Jonathan Small: a peg-legged man who has an accomplice called
Tonga. He was born in the west of England. He joined the army, and
served in India. During that time, when he was crossing a river, a
crocodile bit off his leg, making him crippled. He spent five months
in hospital and when he came out, the army didnt want him any
more. Then, a man called Abel White gave him work but the natives
killed him so he went to Agra where he stole the famous treasure
of the map: The Sign of Four
Mordecai Smith: he has got a business renting boats. He took a

green steam launch called Aurora and went across the River
Thames with Jonathan Small. His wife was worried because he only
had enough coal to travel a very short way.
Setting
The story takes place in London in the nineteenth century. It starts at Baker Street where Holmes and Watson are
living.
Throughout the story the characters take us to the poorest parts of south London.
After, we see Pondichery Lodge which is Major Sholtos house. It stood in a very large garden. There was a high wall
garden around the house with broken wall on the top. There was only one door in the wall and this was heavy and
made of dark wood.
Later we go to a neighborhood by the River Thames where you can rent boats to cross the river. Finally we make a trip
across the river.
Theme
Mystery.
Disappearance and possible murder of Captain
Morstan (an officer of the army) ten years ago. His
daughter asks for help to the famous detective
Sherlock Holmes.
Plot
Mary Morstan asks Sherlock Holmes to help her to find out what happened to her father, Captain Morstan, who has
been missing for ten years. Six years ago she saw an advertisement in The Times which informed her that there were
good news about her father. She replied to the advertisement and that same day she received a small box in the
post. Since then, every year on the same day she has received a pearl in the post.
The day she goes to Holmes she has been sent a letter that made an appointment for that evening if she wanted to
know about Captain Morstan. She was told that she could bring two persons with her, but they couldnt be
policemen. Sherlock Holmes and Watson agreed to go with her. That night Miss Morstan showed them a map that
she found in her fathers desk: it is signed by four men who called themselves The Sign of Four.
Later, the three of them are taken to a poor part of London where they meet Thaddeus Sholto, who tells them that
Major Sholto and Captain Morstan had found a treasure when they were in the army in India. Captain Morstan died
before they could split it. Major Sholto died too without having told his sons where the treasure was hidden. They
only know it is somewhere in Pondichery Lodge. They go there and they find that Bartholomew Sholto ( Thaddeus
twin) was murdered and the treasure is missing.
From this point, we follow Holmes while he investigates who is the murderer, how he is related with The Sign of
Four and where the treasure is.
Opinion
In my opinion the book is good. The only problem I see is that there is a lot of plot in few pages, so it was
difficult to me to resume it without repeating the whole story.
I recommend it to people who like mystery.
With this story I learnt a lot of English.

Ingles Sherlock Holmes 2

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Ingles Sherlock Holmes 2

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Ingles Sherlock Holmes 2

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

THESIGNOF

Doctor Watson: the narrator of Sherlock Holmes stories. He had

Lestrade: detective inspector who works in New Scotland

Mordecai Smith: he has got a business renting boats. He took a

You might also like