Thursday, February 9, 2012

Chapter 1 Summary: Hound of The Baskervilles

In the opening chapter in “The Hound of The Baskervilles” Dr. Watson (who is Sherlock Holmes’s assistant) went back to the apartment at 221b Baker Street. When he arrived at the apartment he saw a Penang Lawyer (walking stick), Watson thought that the stick was left by a visitor. As Watson was examining the stick, Mr. Sherlock Holmes asked him what he was thinking of it. Watson was frightened he even said that he thought that his friend had eyes in the back of his head, because Sherlock Holmes had his back turned to him. After a few seconds, Sherlock Holmes admits that he really saw Watson through his reflection in the coffee pot.  This proved to me that Sherlock Holmes is very sharp when it comes on to observation. Watson replied to Holmes’s question, he said that he believed that the stick belonged to man, and that it was given to him from his friends’ C.C.H. he told Holmes that the man had to be elderly. Holmes gave Watson a feeling of glory as he congratulated him. After examining the stick himself, Holmes actually contradicted every single thing that Watson said. After Sherlock Holmes told Watson his opinion, he insulted him by saying that he isn’t that smart but he allows others to feel smarter about themselves, when he is around them.  The first chapter is just an introduction to the character of Sherlock Holmes.

When I read this chapter I was in shock, I did not know how Sherlock Holmes was so smart. I thought he was psychic at first because of the way he was analyzing the stick and everything about it, detail to detail. The first chapter was very interesting, it showed the type of character Holmes and Watson are. It showed me that Holmes was a very brilliant detective. His powers of observation was unique he paid attention not just to the big things but also to the small things. After I read that chapter I couldn’t put the book down.  I would use a character web to take notes since it is introducing the characters.

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