STUD, pt. 2, ch. 1-3

[mightymads]

My notes will be very brief for this part. Geographic inaccuracies in Doyle’s descriptions of America are neatly summarised in this essay by one of the Baker Street Irregulars. Still, I’d really like to know what American readers think of this part of the story. According to another source, Doyle’s portrayal of Mormons was most likely based on sensational press of that time. Again, I know next to nothing about Mormons and doubt that a Wikipedia article can substantially change that, so if anyone can give their expert opinion, please do share it! :)

Re: the plot itself, John Ferrier, Lucy’s adoptive father, is a baffling character. On the one hand, he is outlined as a seasoned adventurer, a self-reliant and self-sufficient man. On the other, he is a classic damsel in distress in the way he handles the proposal situation. One would expect from such a resourceful guy to come up with a plan to sneak away from his so-called benefactors long before the matter became pressing. He disagreed with their way of life and had concerns about Lucy’s future. Why didn’t he do anything? He had years to turn his possessions into cash and flee. What was he counting on if he knew how ruthless and despotic the rules in his new settlement were? What if Lucy never met Jefferson?

Or, okay, let’s imagine that he hoped that the problem would miraculously solve itself. But then Lucy is harassed and given a month to decide. A month, Carl! It’s not like they whisk her away at once. Again, Ferrier does nothing except sending a message to Jefferson, wtf. In those days before mobile phones and internet things could easily go wrong: the message might not be delivered or something could have happened to Jefferson. And if their harassers managed to get inside the house to leave warnings without being noticed by old Ferrier, he really must have been over the hill by then.

A side note: John and Lucy meet the Mormons on May 4, 1847. 1847 was indeed the year when a large group of Mormons led by Brigham Young travelled to Utah. Also, if we consider that Sherlock Holmes was born in 1854, his brother Mycroft, 7 years his senior, was born in 1847. And a few decades later May 4 will be the Reichenbach day.

Comments

[rachelindeed]

Hee hee, I must admit that this American reader has never had the patience or interest to read this section of A Study in Scarlet. I skimmed over it as a child and I have no regrets about that :) Whenever Doyle tries to stick a separate novelette into a Holmes story (in this case a creaky Old West melodrama), I roll my eyes and opt out. I'd rather just get back to Holmes and Watson!

[mightymads]

I wonder why he did that again in VALL. If he was paid by word count, he could have thrown in five chapters of Holmes and Watson’s domesticity. His readers would have been so happy to know more about that hotel room they shared.

[sanguinity]

Ugh, the American section of STUD is a disaster.

Re Ferrier and Hope getting away from the Mormons: there was a huge US military presence in the vicinity of Salt Lake City at the time, because the US govt and the Mormons were on the brink of war all through that era. All Ferrier or Hope had to do was ride hell-for-leather for the nearest military base -- less than fifty miles away, as I recall -- and all three of them would have had shelter behind as much anti-Mormon firepower as they could have wanted.

[mightymads]

~facepalm~ Then not only did this part age badly, it was subpar from the very beginning. The plot was weak, so his usual excuse for being inaccurate doesn’t apply here. The story would have really benefited if Hope’s motives for revenge had been described in several sentences instead of several chapters :) And from the in-universe pov, if we don’t consider Doyle Watson’s literary agent (somehow the idea doesn’t sit well with me), I do wonder who inserted the part about Mormons into Watson’s narrative, as it is stated there that Watson didn’t pen it.

[luthienberen]

Wow, I hadn't realised how inaccurate the American section was in STUD!

I must say, such a capable man like John Ferrier not riding to the US military makes even less sense than before I knew the US military were nearby & would gladly fight the Mormons chasing them. I would certainly make the attempt!

This needs a fix-it, except of course there would be no STUD...well, I'm sure Holmes would have dug up a case for Watson ;)

[earthspirits]

I'm American, and the American section of Study in Scarlet never really worked for me. The Old West details always seemed "off".

Besides, I just want H&W without any distractions.

[mightymads]

Same. I can imagine how cringe-inducing it must be. That feeling when you come across a foreigner’s ham-handed portrayal of your country.

[luthienberen]

Hi mightymads!

Like you I don't have much to offer on these chapters.

Re: the geography I did attempt looking a map up, but became rather confused! Glad those more familiar have added their interesting facts.

That said, I found ACD's description of the desolation splendid, it really drove home the bleak setting and the struck up an atmosphere of desperation, causing me to shiver in apprehension.

Mormons...I read the wiki article as well. I think this is a case of extremes being used.

Can I say the little girl made me cry with how joyfully she took the news of their impending doom and included her companion in being with her mum and herself in Heaven? Well I did😭

I agree with you that John Ferrier is a puzzle. He is a seasoned adventurer and you do not become one by being faint of heart, and he turns out a useful guide and untiring hunter. Why he did not instantly flee with his daughter Lucy Ferrier is bewildering. They may still not have made it, but surely the chance would have been greater?

Considering that John is or was a hunter he must be familiar with the surrounding environment. Use a cover story to send his daughter to drive their cattle or similar then in the night slip out and ride, both heading to Jefferson Hope or as sanguinity said towards the US military - I would!😳🤨

[mightymads]

I did try to read, looking up places at the map, as you did, but eventually found that informative essay :)

It’s great that some parts of the Ferrier story worked for you! Can’t say the same for myself, to be honest.

Anyways, STUD is a great book where Holmes and Watson are concerned!

[luthienberen]

The essay is truly enlightening!

Thank you ~ admittedly those we small parts, but grand to stumble across.

I truly think that Hope's story could have been condensed into a couple of paragraphs or a page through either Hope telling his story to Watson or to Holmes. It is important we understand his motives, but it is jarring being taken away from Holmes & Watson and I admit, the first time I forced myself through this section. I've never read the background-section in VALLEY due to my aversion in STUD!

Considering the inaccuracies as pointed out by our fellow comm members, the story does diminish a touch in strength. (Really, it ought to be a separate disconnected novel!). I need that fix-it now though where all three head to the US military and survive, live long happy live ugh!

[mightymads]

Agreed, ACD should have written a separate novelette about Mormons instead of cramming it into STUD. Perhaps then he would have bothered to do a proper research? XD

VALL is a funny beast. The same break in the narrative is as annoying, but at least there it is clear who wrote the American part. And the whole premise of VALL shows Holmes’s fallibility. He should have abandoned the case. Then Evans would have survived. Instead, by exposing Evans’ plan and being very complacent about it, Holmes unwittingly helped Moriarty. It must have been quite a baggage to carry for the rest of his life, perhaps even one of the reasons he fought with Moriarty until the bitter end.

[recently_folded]

Here's where I fully admit to how lousy I am at Doyle: I am not altogether certain that I've ever read that portion of the story. I am completely at a loss when I try to recall it, even though I can remember plenty of the rest of it. Huh.

So, drat you mads! Now I'm going to have to suck it up and inflict it on myself, aren't I? Just to be a completist.

Or, at least, just as soon as I finish betaing a certain *cough* other story that, frankly, is more appealing.

[mightymads]

So you finally couldn't resist 😜 That's good to hear! Re: this part of the story, maybe you skipped it too? Or found it so unimpressive that it was completely wiped from your memory? It often happens to me. Like, I know I read some book a few years back, but when I open it I can't remember a thing.