A Study in Scarlet: Part 1 - Chapter 5-7

[Winter, Group Reads]

This is the discussion thread for A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle Part 1 - Chapter 5-7

[Amy]

In chapter 5 when Sherlock was following the old woman who answered the ad, I liked that he was able to laugh at himself. A lot of the modern depictions show a Sherlock that is much more uptight and sensitive to criticism and who would never laugh at himself or admit to being bested. It makes perfect sense that the woman who got into the cab and disappeared was the cab driver since the cab hadn't slowed or made a stop and someone jumping out would have been noticed. In chapter 7 though, I cringed when they brought in a sick dog and then proceeded to poison him. I kept thinking isn't anyone bothered that there is still a dead dog in the middle of the room? Nope, they just all went back to their discussion, Wiggins came up, etc. and the poor dog was still laying there.

[MacKenzie]

After I finished this section of the book last night, I started to remember why I haven't ever enjoyed reading Sherlock Holmes in the past. I still plan on finishing the book since it isn't very long, but I don't plan on reading any more of it after (at this time).

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

I finished this section. The arrest surprised me, and I find that I still am only 60% of the way through the book so I assume there will be a reversal of fortune or some other surprise coming.

[Simon]

In the beginning, I was comparing the book to the most recent TV adaptation a lot but in this section I see that the show ran off with its own ideas and took a bit of a different route, so it was nice to be left wondering how exactly things turned out in the book.

[Ashley]

I am finding this interesting with some of the ways Holmes figures things out. Today, with technology, investigators run tests and there is so much at their disposal. The way that Holmes makes up his own tests and using reasoning, almost seems ahead of the time his book was written in.

(view spoiler)[ For example, testing the poison on the dog. Today, the pill probably could have been tested and the chemical content could be broken down. During the time this book was written, it would probbably have been unheard of to test things because there was not a safe way to do it. However, in a way, I think he helped the dog. The dog no longer had to suffer and that is an option for animals today. (hide spoiler)]

[Brianna]

I find it kind of funny how easily Watson falls into trying to solve the crime as well. Sherlock almost seems to want to do it because he likes how smart he is and likes to prove it with solving hard issues. Watson seems to get involved because he cares and wants justice.

Holmes is a little sassy pants!

I'm also really curious to know how Sherlock pieced everything together.

[Brianna]

Amy wrote: "In chapter 5 when Sherlock was following the old woman who answered the ad, I liked that he was able to laugh at himself. A lot of the modern depictions show a Sherlock that is much more uptight an..."

I agree! He's always perceived as being uptight and cocky, but to see his more human side was refreshing.

The dog thing was a bit rough as well. He seemed in distress and in pain, but to handle it in such a blase way was sad. Poor puppy!

[Brianna]

Randy wrote: "I finished this section. The arrest surprised me, and I find that I still am only 60% of the way through the book so I assume there will be a reversal of fortune or some other surprise coming."

I'm having the same thought process. It seems fairly early in the story for things to be so wrapped up.

[Suki]

We are only about halfway through the book, and

(view spoiler)[

the murderer has already been caught; however, we don't know anything about who any of the men are, or what motivation the one man had to kill the other two. The murdered men appear to have been specifically targeted, because Holmes already seemed convinced before they caught the killer that there would be no more deaths.

On the subject of the dog: it was tough to read this part, but the landlady had already, on the previous day, asked Watson to put the poor animal out of its pain, probably expecting him to shoot it, drown it, or wring its neck. The poison appeared to have been instant and probably painless, and the dog even got to enjoy a bit of milk first, while lying on a soft pillow. It was probably the most gentle and humane death that the dog could have hoped for at that time in history. Having said all that, I do hope that there are no more scenes like that.

(hide spoiler)]

[Katie]

I"m also curious as to how the rest of the book is going to proceed since it seems that everything is all said and done. Maybe Sherlock will be using the res of the book to explain how he solved it, or a walk-through of the clues.
I'm still disappointed with the lack of development in Watson's character. he still seems to just be along for the ride at this point- which is disappointing. Since the book is written from his perspective, you would think he would be a bit further developed by this point.

(view spoiler)[ The killing of the dog did disturb me a little. I know he was old and bound to die soon anyway, I guess it was a mercy killing in a way. But everyone was so nonchalant about it. it wasn't mentioned again. (hide spoiler)]

I was also intrigued by Holmes' first age toxicology test. Nowadays, things are sent to a lab for extensive testing.