PiXL IndependenceEnglish Literature – Student Booklet

KS4

The Sign of Four by Sir Arthur Conan DoyleContents:

I. Context Questions – 20 credits

II. Multiple Choice Questions – 10 credits per set

III. Short Answer Questions – 10 credits per question

IV. Wider Reading – 50 credits for each ten-point summary

V. Academic Reading – 150 credits for each 300-word response

VI. Exam Style Questions – 100 credits plus 20 bonus credits for marking your own essay

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I. Context Quiz

Answer the questions that explore the context of the play. You will need to draw on your contextual knowledge and wider reading to support you in completing this.

20 credits for completing this quiz.

1. How many Sherlock Holmes stories are there? Where does The Sign of Four fit in the canon?

2. What was Conan Doyle’s profession before he became a writer? How might this have influenced his writing?

3. Define the term ‘Colonialism’ in your own words.

4. When did the Indian Mutiny occur and, briefly, what caused it?

5. What were attitudes towards drugs at the time the book was written?

6. The treasure is estimated at half a million pounds sterling in the text. Approximately howmuch is that in today’s money?

7. In what format was The Sign of Four originally published? How do you think this has influenced the construction of the text?

8. What were Victorian attitudes towards the police around the time of Conan Doyle writing The Sign of Four? How might this influence how people reacted to the story?

9. What were attitudes towards people of ethnic backgrounds at the time the book was written?

10. What were attitudes towards class structures at the time Conan Doyle was writing? How does this present itself in the narrative?

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II. Multiple Choice Questions

Answer these questions. The nine quizzes work through the text chronologically by chapter. Some quizzes will deal with one chapter, and some with two. The chapter number and title will be indicated at the start of the quiz. You could choose to do a set of the questions each session, or alternatively you could answer multiple quizzes at a time.

10 credits for each set of ten questions answered.

Quiz One - Chapter 1: The Science of Deduction

1. Where does Sherlock take the bottle from in the opening sentence?

a. The kitchen tableb. The window sillc. The mantelpieced. The bathroom cupboard

2. On what do Sherlock’s eyes rest before he injects the drug?

a. Out of the windowb. On his forearm and wristc. On Watson’s faced. On a globe

3. How many times a day has Watson witnessed Sherlock inject drugs?

a. Twob. Fivec. Fourd. Three

4. What per cent solution of cocaine does Sherlock inject?

a. Three per centb. Seven per centc. Twelve per centd. Fifteen per cent

5. Sherlock says that his mind rebels at what?

a. Stagnationb. Boredom

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c. Relaxationd. Tidiness

6. What professional title does Sherlock give himself?

a. People’s detectiveb. Private curiosities consultantc. Unofficial consulting detectived. Private investigator

7. What title did Watson give his write-up of the ‘Jefferson Hope’ case?

a. A Study of Hopeb. The Detective at Workc. The Art of Deductiond. A Study in Scarlet

8. What is the cause of Watson’s leg pain?

a. He was hit by a carriageb. He was bitten by a dogc. He was shot during the ward. He fell off a ladder

9. According to Sherlock, what are the three ideal qualities for a detective?

a. Deduction, knowledge and skillb. Observation, deduction and knowledgec. Observation, knowledge and curiosityd. Curiosity, observation and deduction

10. With what item does Watson test Sherlock’s powers of deduction?

a. A watchb. A letterc. A caned. A telescope

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Quiz Two – Chapter 2: The Statement of the Case and Chapter 3: In Quest of a Solution

1. Who is Miss Morstan’s employer?

a. Mrs Jefferson Hopeb. Mrs Cecil Forrester c. Major Shaltod. Mrs Hudson

2. What is Miss Morstan’s profession?

a. Housekeeperb. Schoolteacherc. Maidd. Governess

3. In what city was the boarding establishment that Miss Morstan stayed in as a girl?

a. Edinburghb. Manchesterc. Glasgowd. London

4. On what date did Captain Morstan disappear?

a. 4th December 1879b. 3rd December 1878c. 2nd December 1877d. 5th December 1876

5. Where did Miss Morstan’s note instruct her to go?

a. Palace Theatreb. Dominion Theatrec. Lyceum Theatred. Apollo Theatre

6. What does Holmes take from his desk drawer before they leave for the rendezvous?

a. A letterb. A gunc. A pocket watchd. A knife

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7. Which one of these people is not one of the Sign of Four?

a. Mahomet Singh b. Abdullah Khanc. Dost Akbard. Lal Chowdar

8. In the carriage, Watson attempts to distract Miss Morstan with stories of his adventures in what country?

a. Indiab. Pakistanc. Afghanistand. Sri Lanka

9. What two things does Watson mix up when he is recollecting his experiences of the war to Miss Morstan?

a. Musket and tiger cubb. Knife and tiger cubc. Musket and rattlesnaked. Knife and rattlesnake

10. What does Sherlock remark about the areas that they are driving through on the way to their destination?

a. They are not very wealthyb. They are full of criminalsc. They are poorly keptd. They are not very fashionable

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Quiz Three – Chapter Four: The Story of the Bald-Headed Man

1. Who is the bald-headed man?

a. Bartholomew Shaltob. Williamsc. Thaddeus Shaltod. Lal Chowdar

2. What does the bald-headed man ask Dr Watson to do?

a. Get him a glass of waterb. Look in his earsc. Take his pulsed. Listen to his heart

3. Why does the bald-headed man object to the police?

a. They are unintelligentb. They are unaestheticc. They are unforgivingd. They are unimaginative

4. What did Major Shalto have a ‘marked aversion to’?

a. Wooden legsb. Eye patchesc. Red haird. Dogs

5. What gave Major Shalto the shock that led to his death?

a. Seeing Captain Morstanb. Receiving a letter from Indiac. Losing the treasured. The death of Captain Morstan

6. Why did Captain Morstan go to see Major Shalto when he returned to England?

a. To get news of his daughter

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b. To steal the treasure for himselfc. To kill Major Shaltod. To recover his share of the treasure

7. What is the only trace left by the ‘man at the window’?

a. Some hairb. A walletc. A footprintd. A shirt button

8. What was Watson concerned Miss Morstan would do when she heard the news of her father?

a. Cryb. Run awayc. Faintd. Fall

9. What is the estimated worth of the treasure?

a. Two million poundsb. A million poundsc. A quarter of a million poundsd. Half a million pounds

10. What does Watson accuse the bald-headed man of being?

a. An addictb. A hypochondriac c. A depressived. A hypocrite

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Quiz Four – Chapter Five: The Tragedy of Pondicherry Lodge and Chapter Six: Sherlock Holmes Gives a Demonstration

1. What time did they arrive at Pondicherry Lodge?

a. Just after ten o’clockb. Ten thirtyc. Nearly eleven o’clockd. Just after eleven o’clock

2. How does Sherlock know McMurdo?

a. He supplies his cocaineb. He met him on a previous casec. They are family friendsd. They were boxing opponents

3. What is the name of the housekeeper at Pondicherry Lodge?

a. Mrs Bernstoneb. Mrs Hudsonc. Mrs Forresterd. Mrs Williams

4. Who comforts the housekeeper?

a. Sherlock Holmesb. Miss Morstanc. Dr Watsond. Thaddeus Shalto

5. How is the facial expression on Bartholomew’s corpse described?

a. A fixed and unnatural grinb. A tortured grimacec. A maniacal grind. A stony stare

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6. What do the marks on the windowsill tell us, according to Holmes?

a. That the intruder was a childb. That the intruder was incredibly tallc. That the intruder was heavyset d. That the intruder had a wooden leg

7. What animal does Watson compare Holmes to?

a. A foxb. An owlc. A bloodhoundd. A tiger

8. Who does Athelney Jones suspect of murdering Bartholomew?

a. Sherlock b. Miss Marstonc. Thaddeusd. McMurdo

9. Who does Sherlock believe the wooden legged man to be?

a. Jonathan Smallb. Jack Smallc. Jonathan Smythd. Jack Smyth

10. What is the name of the dog that Sherlock sends Watson to fetch?

a. Pongob. Tobyc. Samsond. George

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Quiz Five – Chapter Seven: The Episode of the Barrel

1. What is the name of Toby’s owner?

a. Shermanb. Smithc. Smithilld. Shelby

2. What breed of dog is Toby?

a. Half bloodhound and half-spanielb. Half shepherd and half-lurcherc. Half-spaniel and half-lurcherd. Half-lurcher and half-shepherd

3. Other than the fact that they’re small, what else is distinctive about the footprints?

a. There are only four toesb. The feet are different sizesc. There is only a left-foot printd. The toes are all distinctly separated

4. What did the thief leave behind in the pouch?

a. A pearlb. A blow dartc. A bag of thornsd. A bracelet

5. What substance do they give Toby to track?

a. Tarb. Creosotec. Paintd. Blood

6. Who does Mrs Bernstone suggest has ‘far from a good character’?

a. Lal Chowdar

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b. McMurdoc. Bartholomewd. Lal Rao

7. Which three areas of London do they walk through with Toby when they end up in Kennington?

a. Westminster, Balham, Waterloob. London Bridge, Brixton, Camdenc. Streatham, Brixton, Camberwelld. Streatham, Walthamstow, Chelsea

8. What is notable about the route they walk through London?

a. It is a circleb. They zigzag through the streetsc. They walk down parallel roadsd. It is a completely straight line

9. What does Watson describe as the very picture of canine indecision?

a. Lying on its backb. Putting a paw over its nosec. One ear cocked and one ear droopedd. Chasing its tail

10. How do Holmes and Watson react when Toby leads them to the barrel?

a. They both laughb. Sherlock laughs, Watson is furiousc. They both cursed. Sherlock immediately leaves

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Quiz Six – Chapter Eight: The Baker Street Irregulars

1. Where did the creosote trails cross over?

a. King’s Roadb. King’s Wayc. King’s Placed. King’s Avenue

2. Where does Toby’s second tracking attempt lead them?

a. The riversideb. A parkc. A mansiond. A scrapyard

3. What does Mordecai Smith rent?

a. Horse and carriagesb. Boatsc. Bicyclesd. Rooms

4. What does Sherlock give Jack Smith?

a. A toffeeb. A poundc. A tin soldierd. Two shillings

5. When did Mordecai Smith’s wife last see him?

a. Yesterday afternoonb. Yesterday nightc. Yesterday morningd. This morning

6. What is the name of the missing launch?

a. The Apollo

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b. The Aurorac. The Artemisd. The Alexandria

7. What is the headline of the newspaper report about the death of Bartholomew and the missing treasure?

a. ‘Scandal at Upper Norwood’b. ‘Man-hunt in Upper Norwood’c. ‘Strange Happenings in Upper Norwood’d. ‘Mysterious Business at Upper Norwood’

8. Who are the ‘Baker Street Irregulars’?

a. Street childrenb. Homeless menc. Ex-convictsd. Retired policemen

9. What is the name of the leader of the Baker Street Irregulars?

a. Wilkinsb. Wigginsc. Williamsd. Whiskers

10. What instrument does Holmes play for Watson?

a. Clarinetb. Pianoc. Cellod. Violin

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Quiz Seven – Chapter Nine: A Break in the Chain

1. What is Holmes doing when Watson wakes up?

a. Injecting cocaineb. Reading a bookc. Playing the violind. Conducting a science experiment

2. Where is Holmes when Watson returns from Camberwell?

a. Taking a walkb. At the riversidec. At the police stationd. In his room

3. With what does Holmes distract himself while he is waiting for news from the Baker Street Irregulars?

a. Chemistryb. Poetryc. Musicd. Geography

4. What time does Watson awake to find Holmes standing over him?

a. Mid-morningb. Noonc. Midnightd. Dawn

5. Why does Holmes not want Watson to accompany him to the river?

a. Because he will slow him downb. Because he is meeting someone dangerousc. Because he wants Watson to be his representatived. Because he wants Watson to look out for Mrs Hudson

6. The article in the Standard announces the release of which two people from prison?

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a. Mrs Bernstone and McMurdob. Thaddeus and McMurdoc. Mrs Bernstone and Williamsd. Thaddeus and Mrs Bernstone

7. What additional strategy does Holmes employ in order to track the boat?

a. He goes to the policeb. He puts an advert out in the paperc. He hires a journalistd. He threatens Mrs Smith

8. Who comes to Baker Street at three o’clock?

a. Thaddeus Shaltob. Miss Morstanc. Athelney Jonesd. Mordecai Smith

9. Who does Holmes suggest should be the first to open the treasure chest when it is recovered?

a. Himselfb. Athelney Jonesc. Miss Morstand. Watson

10. What additional two demands does Holmes make of Athelney Jones before they leave in pursuit of the treasure?

a. That he gets to interview Small, and that Jones stays for dinnerb. That he gets to make the arrest, and conduct an interview with Smallc. That Jones stays for dinner, and credits Holmes and Watson in the press

released. That he gets to interview Small, and that he gets a share of the treasure

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Quiz Eight – Chapter Ten: The End of the Islander, and Chapter Eleven: The Great Agra Treasure

1. What is the name of Jonathan Small’s accomplice?

a. Togab. Tongac. Togud. Tungo

2. What did Small do when he found out that his accomplice had killed Bartholomew?

a. He slapped himb. He gave him moneyc. He beat him with a roped. He thanked him

3. Where did Small think that Bartholomew would be when they broke into PondicherryLodge?

a. At supperb. Out for a walkc. At the theatred. In the library

4. What does Holmes offer Small before they begin their interview?

a. A pipe and a drinkb. A cigar and a cup of teac. A cup of tea and a biscuitd. A cigar and a drink from his flask

5. What is the name of the ship that Small had planned to take to the Brazils?

a. The Esmereldab. The Elizabethc. The Aurorad. The Apollo

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6. Where do they drop Watson off?

a. Camberwellb. Vauxhall Bridgec. London Bridged. Baker Street

7. What image adorns the treasure chest?

a. A crownb. A pharaohc. The Taj Mahald. Buddha

8. How does Watson open the chest?

a. With a knifeb. With the keyc. With a hammerd. With a poker

9. What is surprising about the contents of the treasure chest when it is opened?

a. It is filled with papersb. It has only one gold coin in itc. It is emptyd. It has a skull inside

10. What word describes Watson’s reaction when the box is opened?a. Reliefb. Dismayc. Furyd. Indifference

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Quiz Nine – Chapter Twelve: The Strange Story of Jonathan Small

1. What is Small’s reaction when Watson shows him the treasure chest?

a. He cries out in alarmb. He smirksc. He stares at himd. He laughs

2. Where is the treasure?

a. Buried in a parkb. In the Andaman Islandsc. At the bottom of the Thamesd. Scattered across London

3. For how many years was Small imprisoned on the Andaman Islands?

a. Twenty yearsb. Fifteen yearsc. Ten yearsd. Twenty-five years

4. What English county is Small from originally?

a. Warwickshireb. Shropshirec. Leicestershired. Worcestershire

5. Why did Small originally join the army?

a. He wanted to fight for the Queenb. He got in trouble over a girlc. He killed a mand. He was caught stealing

6. How did Small lose his leg?

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a. A shark bit it offb. A boating accidentc. A landmined. A crocodile bit it off

7. Fill in the blanks to complete the oath that Small takes when he joins in the conspiracy to steal the Agra treasure. ‘By the _____ of your father, by the ____ of your mother, by the ____ of your faith, toraise no hand and speak no word against us, either now or afterwards’

a. Honour, love, Godb. Bones, love, crossc. Bones, honour, crossd. Honour, beauty, God

8. What does Achmet tell Small is inside the box?

a. One or two family mattersb. His only money in the worldc. Important state documentsd. His mother’s ashes

9. What share of the fortune does Small offer Shalto and Morstan?

a. A thirdb. A fifthc. A quarterd. A sixth

10. What does Sherlock reach for at the end of the book?

a. A glass of whiskyb. His pipec. His cocaine bottled. A cigar

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III. Short Answer Questions

Answer the questions with short responses from the text. There are 50 questions in total.

10 credits for each question answered correctly.

1. When does the reader discover who the narrator is?

2. What is the effect of opening with Sherlock injecting cocaine? What does it tell you about his character?

3. Why does Watson’s ‘courage swell nightly’? (chapter one)

4. What does Sherlock and Watson’s difference of opinion regarding ‘The Study in Scarlet’ tell you about their characters?

5. What is the distinction between observation and deduction, according to Sherlock?

6. What are your first impressions of Miss Morstan?

7. Watson describes Sherlock as ‘hawk-like’. In what ways is this an apt description?

8. What techniques does Conan Doyle use to keep the reader’s interest piqued in the opening chapters?

9. What is the impact of the first person narrative?

10. State three things of interest about the document that Miss Morstad gives Sherlock in chapter three.

11. How is London described in the story? What is the dramatic effect of this?

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12. What caused Watson to want to hit Thaddeus Shalto? What does this tell you about him?

13. What caused the disagreement between Thaddeus and Bartholomew Shalto?

14. What behaviour indicated to the brothers that Major Shalto considered himself in danger?

15. What reasons does Major Shalto give for covering up Captain Morstan’s death? What does it tell you about his character?

16. How does Bartholomew work out where the treasure is hidden?

17. What is the ‘unexpected obstacle’ they encounter upon arrival at Pondicherry Lodge?

18. What is the significance of the language used to describe Pondicherry Lodge in chapter five?

19. How does Conan Doyle create humour in the relationship between Holmes and AthelneyJones?

20. What does Watson describe as the ‘angelic fashion of women’ in the opening of chapter seven?

21. How does Holmes deduce that the wooden-legged man is Jonathan Small?

22. What is significant about Sherlock’s interaction with Jack? What does it show the reader about his character?

23. Why is Mrs Smith concerned that her husband has not returned yet?

24. How does Sherlock manipulate Mrs Smith into providing the information he needs?

25. How does the language in the newspaper article contrast with the rest of the narrative?

26. What sort of language is used to describe the aborigines of the Andaman Islands in the book Sherlock gives Watson?

27. Chapter Nine is titled ‘A Break in the Chain’. What does this refer to?

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28. What does Sherlock use the Baker Street Irregulars for? How might a Victorian and modern audience view this differently?

29. How does Jonathan Small feel about the death of Bartholomew Shalto?

30. What does Small remark is ‘queer’ about his life?

31. How does Conan Doyle present the relationship between Watson and Miss Morstan? How does this change throughout the narrative?

32. Why is Watson relieved when the box is empty? What does that tell you about his character?

33. What reason does Small give for not throwing the entire box into the river?

34. What is the dramatic impact of Small’s narrative? Does it change your opinion of him? How/why?

35. Why does the rajah choose to split his fortune?

36. What justification does Small give for being at ease with the murder of Achmet?

37. What sentences are given to Small and his comrades when they are arrested for Achmet’s murder?

38. What prompts Small to tell Major Shalto about the treasure?

39. How are Major Shalto and Captain Morstan presented in Small’s narrative?

40. Why is Tonga so devoted to Small?

41. Which characters have the most progressive attitudes towards race?

42. How do you react to the fact that the other three members of the Sign of Four still appear to be in prison?

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43. Why does Watson think that this is the last case he will accompany Sherlock on?

44. What is the structural significance of Sherlock reaching for a cocaine bottle at the close of the narrative?

45. How is law enforcement presented in the narrative?

46. How does Watson’s attitude towards Holmes change throughout the narrative? Choose five key moments to illustrate this.

47. Which characters in the story are motivated by greed?

48. How does Conan Doyle use flashback as a narrative technique?

49. How does Conan Doyle make use of pathetic fallacy in the narrative?

50. Find five striking examples of imagery in the narrative. What is their effect on the reader?

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IV. Wider Reading and Summary

Read each of the articles that address key themes, context or ideas within The Sign of Four. Once you have completed your reading of each, summarise the key learning points into a ten-point summary. Some texts will specifically reference The Sign of Four, while others will need you to make the links yourself.

20 credits for each ten-point summary completed.

1. Sherlock Holmes, the world’s most famous literary detective – John Sutherlandhttps://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/arthur-conan-doyle-the-creator-of-sherlock-holmes-the-worlds-most-famous-literary-detective

2. Imperial contradictions in Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Sign of Four – Jennifer Fraserhttps://journal.lib.uoguelph.ca/index.php/surg/article/view/1595/2398

3. Representations of drugs in 19th-century literature – Sharon Rustonhttps://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/representations-of-drugs-in-19th-century-literature

4. Post-Colonial Interpretation of ‘The Sign of Four’ – Soumya Mukhopadhyayhttp://www.academia.edu/13035629/Post_Colonial_Interpretation_of_the_Sign_of_Four

5. My Dear Holmes: Examining Sedgwick’s Theory of Homosociality in The Sign of Four – Mary M. Alcarohttp://www.academia.edu/2123334/My_Dear_Holmes_Examining_Sedgwicks_Theory_of_Homosociality_in_The_Sign_of_Four

6. Fear of: invasion, the ‘other’ and criminality in: The Sign of Four and The 39 Steps – Olivia Hajihttp://www.academia.edu/7183793/Fear_of_invasion_the_other_and_criminality_in_The_Sign_of_the_Four_and_The_39_Steps

7. Villainy and Physiognomy: Identifying the Dangerous Foreigner in Sherlock Holmes – Erica Foss

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http://www.academia.edu/1285676/Villainy_and_Physiognomy_Identifying_the_Dangerous_Foreigner_in_Sherlock_Holmes

8. Sherlock and Sherlock Holmes: A Comparative Analysis – Tomáš Bačík https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=60&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiZy8bCnIzXAhXD2BoKHbByAtY4MhAWCF4wCQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fis.muni.cz%2Fth%2F384202%2Fff_b%2FSherlock_and_Sherlock_Holmes_A_Comparative_Analysis.doc&usg=AOvVaw17iv57Aa5qtArTJis11BYI

9. The City of London in Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes (1887 1927) – Lucinda Hekhuishttps://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=85&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwir9-nEnYzXAhXCnRoKHYsoCeQ4UBAWCDswBA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fdspace.library.uu.nl%2Fbitstream%2Fhandle%2F1874%2F31538%2Fscriptie%2520lucinda%2520hekhuis.doc%3Fsequence%3D1&usg=AOvVaw1bjpeY1xCwWaaHs9C5JmQB

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V. Academic Reading

Read each of the academic texts below and summarise in 300 words how the key theories link to the exam text and the possible exam question.

50 credits for each 300-word summary completed.

1. Racial and Criminal Types: Indian Ethnography and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Sign of Four, John S. McBratneyPublisher: Cambridge University Presshttp://collected.jcu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1005&context=engl-facpubTASK QUESTION: How is the relationship between Britain and India presented in The Sign of Four?

2. Fear of and Fascination with the Foreign in Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes Adventures, Mae Leigh Cookehttp://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1705&context=thesesTASK QUESTION: Who fears, and who is fascinated by, the foreign in The Sign of Four?

3. Performing the Imperial Abject: The Ethics of Cocaine in Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Sign of Four, Benjamin D. O’DellPublisher: Wiley Periodicals, Inc.https://www.academia.edu/19510777/_Performing_the_Imperial_Abject_the_Ethics_of_Cocaine_in_Arthur_Conan_Doyles_The_Sign_of_Four_The_Journal_of_Popular_Culture_2012_TASK QUESTION: What is the significance of Holmes’ drug use in The Sign of Four?

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4. Ritual and Liminality of Sherlock Holmes in The Sign of Four and The Hound of the Baskervilles, Jesse Oak TaylorPublisher: ELT Presshttps://www.academia.edu/875435/Ritual_and_the_Liminality_of_Sherlock_Holmes_in_The_Sign_of_Four_and_The_Hound_of_the_BaskervillesTASK QUESTION: In what ways is The Sign of Four a contradictory text?

5. Re-imagining Sherlock Holmes as the hero in detective fiction, Olivia-Dumitrina NechitaPublisher: University of Lleidahttps://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/70290358.pdfTASK QUESTION: In what ways does the character of Sherlock Holmes both conform and contrast with the classic ‘hero’ character?

6. The Victorian Middle Class, Imperialist Attitude and Women in Arthur Conan Doyle’sSherlock Holmes Adventures, Mari IsokoskiPublisher: University of Tamperehttps://tampub.uta.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/78751/gradu02341.pdf?sequence=1TASK QUESTION: To what extent does the presentation of women in The Sign of Four accurately reflect Victorian attitudes towards gender?

7. Cross-cultural Connections in Crime Fictions, Hilary A. GoldsmithPublisher: Palgrave MacMillanhttps://books.google.co.uk/books?id=SPy5J5U8vGoC&pg=PA29&lpg=PA29&dq=Discussion+Sign+of+Four+Conan+Doyle&source=bl&ots=lXWmMtsYYl&sig=r3_BEKO6NNoMTguslzyHgHOSwLA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiE6IaGn4zXAhWCrRoKHecCAN44ChDoAQgyMAI#v=onepage&q=Discussion%20Sign%20of%20Four%20Conan%20Doyle&f=falseTASK QUESTION: To what extent to do you agree that The Sign of Four is a multicultural text?

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VI. Exam Style Questions

Using the knowledge that you have accumulated use this to inform your writing of these essays. Reading that you have completed for the wider reading and academic writing tasks should be included in these essays. Once completed, download the mark scheme and see if you can grade your essay.

80 credits for each essay completed plus 20 bonus credits for marking your own essay using the mark scheme.

1. How does Conan Doyle present women in The Sign of Four?

Write about

Which characters have contrasting opinions about women How Conan Doyle presents attitudes towards women in the text as a whole

2. How does Conan Doyle present the relationship between Holmes and Watson?

Write about

How Holmes and Watson interact in the narrative How the relationship contributes to the text as a whole

3. How does Conan Doyle present the theme of justice in The Sign of Four?

Write about

How justice is presented in the text How the characters respond to the issues surrounding what is fair and unfair

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4. How does Conan Doyle contrast intellectual and emotional decision making in The Sign of Four?

Write about:

How different characters make decisions based on logic or emotion How the contrast between intellectual and emotional decision making

contributes to the text as a whole

5. How does Conan Doyle explore ‘stock’ characters in The Sign of Four?

Write about

Which characters could be considered stock characters How the presentation of these characters contributes to the text as a whole

6. How does Conan Doyle explore criminality in The Sign of Four?

Write about

Which characters are presented as criminals How Conan Doyle presents different attitudes towards criminality in the text as a

whole

7. How does Conan Doyle explore class tensions in The Sign of Four?

Write about

How Conan Doyle presents characters from different classes in the text How class structures function within the text as a whole

8. How does Conan Doyle present the relationship between Watson and Miss Morstan in The Sign of Four?

Write about

How Conan Doyle represents the nature of their relationship How their relationship contributes to the text as a whole

9. How does Conan Doyle explore colonialism and racism in The Sign of Four?

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Write about

How characters from different racial backgrounds interact How Conan Doyle represents colonialism and racism in the text as a whole

10. How does Conan Doyle present the character of Jonathan Small in The Sign of Four?

Write about

How Jonathan Small narrates his own story in Chapter 12 How Conan Doyle presents Jonathan Small in the text as a whole

Commissioned by The PiXL Club Ltd.

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This resource is strictly for the use of member schools for as long as they remain members of The PiXL Club. Itmay not be copied, sold, or transferred to a third party or used by the school after membership ceases. Untilsuch time it may be freely used within the member school. All opinions and contributions are those of the authors. The contents of this resource are not connected with,or endorsed by, any other company, organisation or institution.

PiXL Club Ltd endeavour to trace and contact copyright owners. If there are any inadvertent omissions or errorsin the acknowledgements or usage, this is unintended and PiXL will remedy these on written notification.

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