“Dr. Grimesby Roylott’s chamber was larger than that of his step- daughter, but was as plainly furnished. A camp bed, a small wooden shelf full of books, mostly ofa technical character, an arm-chair beside the bed, a plain wooden chair against the wall, a round table, and a large iron safe were the principal things which met the eye. Holmes walked slowly round and examined each and all of them with the keenest interest.” (Doyle, p. 145).
The passage explains Holmes as he examines Dr. Grimesby Roylott’s chamber. Roylott has already built up a strange reputation throughout the story, and this is one of the first times Holmes has really started to examine his belongings. Everything about Roylott’s room would suggest nothing alarming. He has a large, neat room that is described as “plainly furnished”(Doyle, p. 145). Nothing about Roylott’s room would stand out to the average person. For instance, everyone sees the furniture, a bookshelf, and thinks nothing of it. Contrarily, Holmes walked slowly through the room and examined every object as if it were the clue that would solve the mystery. Instead of seeing a plain room, Holmes finds objects that seem normal but are really out of place after his examinations.
The passage does more than just explain how Holmes examined Roylott’s room. It highlights the exact reason people find Holmes interesting. Everyone loves to solve the puzzle. Nobody is better at solving the puzzle than Holmes. The passage gives a scenario in which the regular person would think nothing of, but since Holmes takes an interest in Roylott’s room, the reader grows suspicious. Now that Holmes has helped the reader by directing their attention, the reader is now actively trying to solve the case with Holmes. Holmes engages with the audience in this manner numerous times throughout the book, and it keeps the audience enticed with the story. It is passages like the one above that give the Sherlock Holmes stories so much success because they allow the audience to play detective with Holmes.
I absolutely agree with what you said in this post! this passage truly does illuminate Sherlock Holmes’s exceptional deductive abilities and his knack for finding clues in seemingly ordinary settings. Dr. Grimesby Roylott’s chamber, on the surface, appears unremarkable, but Holmes’s meticulous examination unveils hidden details that pique the reader’s curiosity. It underscores why Holmes is such a captivating character; he invites readers to join him in unraveling mysteries. This interactive aspect of the narrative not only keeps the audience engaged but also taps into the universal fascination with solving puzzles. Arthur Conan Doyle’s masterful storytelling makes readers active participants in the detective work, contributing to the enduring appeal of Sherlock Holmes stories.
I think this post does a great job explaining Holmes’ mind to a reader that has not seen him before. By explaining that to Holmes, every detail is the detail that could solve the puzzle, I think you perfectly demonstrate what makes Holmes love mysteries, and why other people may not. We see the same thing in The Hound of the Baskervilles, as Holmes notices things about Jack and Beryl that other people do not, and those small details eventually lead to him solving the mystery.
I love this quote choice! I think one of the smartest things Doyle does is not have Sherlock narrate the stories so we get to try to solve the puzzle that is Sherlock Holmes while he solves the puzzle of the story. I also love what you said about why people love Sherlock. As we’ve discussed I class he’s not very nice to most people around him, but he’s still endlessly fascinating because he understands things on such a different level. I also love when you say that Holmes looking into the room is also a hint to us. I literally remember reading this and thinking it was just setting the scene.
I really like this choice of passage. Someone who likes detective fiction and movies, having clues come out of something that might look plain and cannot offer anything more is what makes it so good. I would also like to make a proposition about Holme’s superior intelligence not because he was born with a gifted skull as mentioned in the earlier chapters of the story, but because it comes out of his years of dedication to his work and personal merit.