A Study in Scarlet: Read Through- American Sojourn

[luthienberen]

I haven't too many notes on these chapters, but the main points that stuck with me are:

Chapter 4&5

John Ferrier goes to Salt Lake City where he entrusts an acquaintance to pass his letter to Jefferson Hope. He feels lighter because of this and returns home.

As stated previously by mightymads this feels terribly out of character for a man who built a successful farm, was a wise hunter and guide. He clearly comprehends the danger his daughter is in for (a) he sends the letter to Hope and (b) when he returns home he encounters Strangerson and Drebber.

I admit, considering his situation his loss of temper at them feels unwise.

Indeed, his fears of being spirited away questions even more strenuously why he waited for Hope and did not snatch Lucy and ride hell to leather to the US Military who were stationed 50 miles away and would protect them from the Mormons as sanguinity said here.

By the time Hope arrives the situation is desperate with their house watched. This causes me to seriously think that if Ferrier had only kept his temper and played along earlier he could have slipped off with Lucy with little trouble.

Their escape is grim and certainly tragic, but knowing they had realistic options to successfully flee their captors just tarnishes what occurs.

I think this entire tale would have been better served as a standalone story with Doyle able to devote proper research (and a happier ending!). As it stands, the lack of research undermines this background which gives us a sympathetic reason for Hope's murders.

Lucy is the true victim here and an unnecessary one, as is her father's death.

Comments

[mightymads]

You know, I've been reading these chapters with a constant urge to facepalm. When I had read that part even as a child, I had had a feeling of 'uh-oh' when Hope leaves the Ferriers to hunt. Just the same as in FIVE, really.

The following will be a pure rant about Doyle's lousy plot. Okay, Ferrier was counting on Hope's help, and Hope did come to their rescue. Why on earth wasn't Ferrier prepared for the flight? Why hadn't he stored enough food while waiting for Hope? Did he think Hope was going to whisk them away on a flying carpet? (Well, if they had dashed towards the military camp, perhaps they wouldn't have needed much food, but Doyle either ignored the fact or, which is more likely, didn't bother to research. Anyway, even if we imagine that in the Doyle universe there was no military presence outside Salt Lake City, sitting on one's arse and not doing a thing to prepare for the escape is so stupid).

Okay, they got past a sentinel and even learned the Mormon password. Why not use it further and take the shortest route to escape?

Next, Hope goes to hunt on foot. Why on earth does he do that? Why not go on horseback? And he manages to get lost to boot. Some 'intimate knowledge' of the neighborhood, that.

When he returns to their makeshift camp, he announces his arrival with yelling, despite knowing that they are being pursued. Nice move, dude. Then, distraught by his findings, he nevertheless manages to cook food which will last him for SEVERAL DAYS. Wow.

Next, when he arrives to Salt Lake City and learns that Lucy was married off, he makes no attempt to save her. Hell, he could have recruited some of his friends to get her out. Instead, poor Lucy pined away for A MONTH before she died.

I feel like Cinema Sins on YouTube. Such lazy writing 🤦 It's not even a good story, so it has no excuses.

[luthienberen]

Yes, I agree, the part when Hope goes to hunt immediately sets off 'ooo' moment.

Rant away! I concur with everything you say. Nothing makes sense in this escape plot. I honestly believe that Doyle just shrugged his shoulders and didn't bother to do any research.

Yet, even if we allow for the geography and ignoring the presence of the military...Doyle sabotages his own characters: Ferrier and Hope.

Both men, up until the point in the story where Lucy is threatened by forced marriage, are portrayed as resourceful and competent. Yet, all of a sudden neither of them have the wits to (a) not realise they should stock up on supplies [Ferrier] because...flying carpet as you remark - what was he expecting?, (b) Ferrier and Hope don't immediately press on once they are past the sentinel, and (c) Hope becomes lost despite knowing the surroundings [surely Ferrier, even older as he is, should go hunting since he has lived in the area for years?] and as you say, makes a din when he returns...

Why he didn't try saving Lucy baffles me and again, doesn't fit his character!

The worst thing is, it had elements of a good story if Doyle had done research, and kept consistent characterisation, such as: Ferrier and Lucy preparing to escape in secret and their desperate dash to the military camp. With proper geography and historical knowledge it would have made for a thrilling tale, particularly letting them both live *ahem*

Yet that story ought to have been separate to STUD and a different case bringing Holmes & Watson together. As it is, the story when examined falls apart leaving one frustrated from being separated from our duo and not leaving the right impression Doyle clearly intended to give.

Cinema sins the literary version!

But as your rightly point out, what we have is not a good story, but lazy writing that stretches across poor/no research and characters that suddenly flip from being competent no nonsense to stalling and not acting when they ought. 🤨

[mightymads]

Exactly, the whole thing falls apart. It's forced to fit the 'revenge' premise. If the Mormons had whisked Lucy away at once, and Ferrier had been killed in an attempt to prevent her abduction, and Hope had come too late only to find out that Lucy was dead, it would have been much neater but also much shorter, and without that awkward action-adventure sequence. It would also have been better if the whole thing had been told from Hope's POV, with him having learned John and Lucy's backstory from John. It would have been just one chapter, though. Two at the most. Anyway, I too wish Doyle had put more effort into it.

[luthienberen]

Your summary "revenge premise" is perfect. :) Your plot would have worked much better and would have been great from Hope's POV. This story, the characters & setting, deserved better in either scenario: as part of the Holmesian-Watson story, or as a separate novel with time dedicated to it.

At least we have Holmes & Watson living together happily!