The Sign of Four - P1 Quotes

Question 1

What are 6 key quotes for Holmes?

Answer 1

• “abhor the dull routine of existence”
• arrogance “I am”…“I can”…“I abhor”…“I am the only one in the world”
• “detection is, or ought to be, an exact science, and should be treated in the same cold unemotional manner”
• “eliminate all other factors, and whatever remains must be the truth” - trying to teach the reader detection so they can try and solve the mystery as they go along
• “hurried about the room on his knees, measuring, comparing, examining”
• "”love in an emotional thing, and whatever is emotional is opposed to that true cold reason which I place above all things””

Question 2

What are 7 key quotes for Watson?

Answer 2

• “His great powers, his masterly manner” - admires Sherlock (repetition of “powers” throughout)
• “in our hour of trouble our hands instinctively sought for each other” (Watson and Mary holding hands)
• “I was annoyed at the criticism of a work which had been specifically designed to please him”
• “My mind ran upon our late visitor - her smiles, the deep rich tones of her voice”
• “Whoever had lost a treasure, I knew that night I had gained one”
• “He was bright, eager and in excellent spirits, a mood which in his case alternated with fits of the blackest depression”
• “What was I, an army surgeon with a weak leg and a weaker banking account, that I should dare to think about such things?”

Question 3

What are 6 key quotes for Small?

Answer 3

• “It was a bearded hairy face, with wild cruel eyes and an expression of concentrated malevolence” Thaddeus describing him in chapter 4
• “little hell-hound Tonga” “I’d have half killed Tonga”
• “Agra treasure which never brought anything but a curse”
• “To him it brought murder, to Major Sholto it brought fear and guilt, to me it has meant slavery for life”
• “It has been the sign of four with us always”
• “My heart softened to him, but again the thought of the treasure turned me hard and bitter.” - when taking about killing the merchant

Question 4

What are 6 key quotes for Mary Morstan?

Answer 4

• “she was a blonde young lady, small, dainty, well gloved, and dressed in the most perfect taste”
• "”You certainly are a model client. You have the correct intuition”” - Holmes talking about her
• “her self-control was perfect”
• “calm face as long as there was someone weaker than herself to support”
• "”Women are never entirely to be trusted - not the best of them”” - Holmes
• "”The treasure is lost”, said Miss Morstan calmly”

Question 5

What are 6 key quotes for Tonga?

Answer 5

• “they are a fierce, morose, and intractable people” - Holmes describing people from the Andaman Islands
• “They are naturally hideous, having large, misshapen heads, small, fierce eyes, and distorted features”
• “Holmes had already drawn his revolver, and I whipped out mine at the sight of this savage, distorted creature”
• “features so deeply marked with all bestiality and cruelty” - Watson describing Tonga
• “little hell-hound Tonga” “I’d have half killed Tonga” - Small
• “a dark mass, which looked like a Newfoundland dog”

Question 6

What are 6 key quotes for Jones?

Answer 6

• technique of listing is used with him “He has arrested not only friend Thaddeus, but the gatekeeper, the housekeeper” - no deduction or reasoning, idiotic
• “Mr Jones’s well known technical knowledge and his powers of minute observation” - the Standard newspaper, meant to make police look better
• “I am weaving my web around Thaddeus. The net begins to close upon him”
• “Heavy steps and the clamour of loud voices were audible from below, and the hall door shut with a loud crash”
• "”Confirms it in every respect”, said the fat detective, pompously”
• “Mr Theorist”

Question 7

What are 5 key quotes for Thaddeus Sholto?

Answer 7

• “We have plenty of money ourselves. I desire no more, besides it would have been such bad taste to have treated a young woman in so scurvy a fashion”
• “An oasis of art in the howling desert of South London”
• “I live, as you see, with a little atmosphere of elegence around me”
• “I can do you justice; and i will, too, whatever brother Bartholomew says”
• “He was standing at the doorway, the very picture of terror” - when they discover Bartholomew’s body

Question 8

What are key quotes for the theme of duality in the Sign of Four?

Answer 8

• “hurried about the room on his knees, measuring, comparing, examining” Holmes + “Heavy steps”…“the hall door shut with a loud crash” Jones
• "”love in an emotional thing, and whatever is emotional is opposed to that true cold reason which I place above all things”” Holmes + “A wondrous subtle thing is love” Watson
• “I can do you justice; and i will, too, whatever brother Bartholomew says” (the Sholtos as opposites)
• “He was bright, eager and in excellent spirits, a mood which in his case alternated with fits of the blackest depression” Watson describing Holmes

Question 9

What are key quotes for the theme of treasure and wealth in the Sign of Four?

Answer 9

• “Whoever had lost a treasure, I knew that night I had gained one” Watson
• "”The treasure is lost”, said Miss Morstan calmly”
• “We have plenty of money ourselves. I desire no more, besides it would have been such bad taste to have treated a young woman in so scurvy a fashion”
• “My heart softened to him, but again the thought of the treasure turned me hard and bitter.” - when taking about killing the merchant

Question 10

How should you structure paragraphs?

Answer 10

P - point
E - evidence
A - analysis
W - writers intentions
A - audience response
C - context

Question 11

When was the sign of four written?

Answer 11

Victorian times

Question 12

What are features of context for sign of four?

Answer 12

• Victorian London was divided in classes and drug taking was normal
• police weren’t liked (failed to catch Jack the Ripper a year before this was published)
• published in a newspaper in chapters, so each chapter had a cliff hanger at the end
• the Victorian empire and colonialism