Tutorial of 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery'

The information below is wrong. Spot the wrong information. Correct the information and arrange them according to the sequence of the story. Use the information from the graphic novel to help you complete the task.

1.            1.            Dr Watson met Sherlock Holmes at Paddington airport at 12.15.                  

                         (         )

______________________________________________________________________

2.        Dr Watson received a telegram from Alice McCarthy who believed that James is innocent.                                                                                         

                         (         )

______________________________________________________________________

3.        Dinah, Moran’s wife saw James on the path to Boscombe pool to shoot some deer.                                                                                            

                          (         )

______________________________________________________________________

4.        In court, James confessed to Sherlock Holmes he was never married and begged Holmes to help him.                                                   

                           (         )

______________________________________________________________________

 5.        James was engaged to a singer and it was a happy union.   

                           (         )

______________________________________________________________________

6.        Sherlock Holmes found a stick which had blood on it. He deduced that the murderer is a tall and skinny man, left-handed and limps on his left leg. He wears heavy boots and a black coat. He smokes Italian cigars.

                          (         )

______________________________________________________________________

       

7.            The first witness is an 18-year-old girl, the daughter of McCarthy’s servant,

Moran.                                                                                               

                                                                                                                                 (         )

______________________________________________________________________

8.            Nine months later, Sherlock Holmes received news that John Turner is dead     and James and Alice are going to get married.                  

                                                                                                                                  (         )

______________________________________________________________________

9.            In the court room, James told the Jury about the argument with his father.

                                                                                                                                  (         )

______________________________________________________________________

10.         Patience told her father that she saw James and Charles having an argument and Charles almost hit James.                                                                                        
                                                                                                        (         )

______________________________________________________________________

You may download the tutorial here.

Plot of 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery'

Exposition

1. Sherlock Holmes invited Dr Watson to solve a murder case in Boscombe Valley.
2. Charles McCarthy was found dead by his son, James McCarthy who was later accused of killing his own father.
3. Moran,  the gamekeeper saw both, James and Charles on the path to Boscombe Pool while his 14-year-old daughter saw them arguing.
4. During the trial, James mentioned hearing his father cried ‘Cooee’ and quickly ran towards him.
5. He found his father on the ground and his father’s last word was ‘Raat’.
6. When the judge asked what they were arguing about, he refused to reveal it and he also mentioned a grey coat.

Rising Action

1. At the hotel, Sherlock Holmes, Dr Watson and Inspector Lestrade met Alice Turner, who believes that James McCarthy is innocent.
2. Her father, John Turner and Charles McCarthy were friends when they were back in Australia.
3. Alice revealed that the argument was about her. Charles wanted James to marry Alice but James refused as he is still too young. Her father totally disapproves of them getting married.
4. When they wanted to see her father, she told them that her father is very ill and was shocked about  the murder.
5. Sherlock Holmes visited James in the prison and James told him that he is married.
6. Sherlock Holmes went to Boscombe Pool to collect evidence.
7. He followed the footprints and found the murder weapon which still has blood on it.
8. He revealed the murderer is a tall man, left-handed and limps on his right leg. He wore heavy boots and smokes Indian cigars.

Climax

1. At the hotel, Sherlock Holmes explained his findings to Dr Watson  that ‘Cooee’ is an Australian word and only recognised by  Australian and ‘Raat’ is actually a place in Australia, Ballarat.
2. The footprints he found have limps, a heavy-toed boots, the type worn in Australian bush.
3. The murderer is also left-handed as he hit Charles on the left side of the head.
4. He also found ashes of Indian cigar where only a rich person could afford it.

Falling Action

1. Responding to Sherlock Holmes letter, John Turner went to his house and later confessed to killing Charles.
2. He explained that he was before known as Black Jack of Ballarat and did things he wasn’t proud of.
3. He moved to England and turned a new leaf. He is a well and respected person in Boscombe Valley until he met Charles McCarthy 20 years ago and he was blackmailed by him since then.
4. Sherlock Holmes asked him to write a confession letter to be used if James is found guilty. Otherwise, he will destroy the letter.

Resolution

1. Seven months later, John Turner passed away.
2. James and Alice got married and Sherlock Holmes kept his promise and destroyed the confession letter.

Moral Values of 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery'

•  Do not judge a book by its cover
•   Keep your promises
•   Its never too late to turn over a new leaf
•  Love and protect you family
• Do not take advantage on other people’s misery 

Themes in 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery'

Seeking the Truth

Being an investigator, Sherlock Holmes must take into account all the evidence put forward and analyse them to prove whether James McCarthy is innocent or not. If he had only relied on what the papers and rumours said about James, he would not be able to solve the case successfully. Weighing the facts, evidence, the accuser’s statement and the physical evidence at the crime scene, Sherlock Holmes proves that a thorough investigation to seek the truth will be worthwhile.

Keeping a secret

There are two instances where this is shown. The first instance is when Sherlock Holmes writes a letter inviting John Turner to his house wanting to see him to avoid scandal. It was at that moment; John Turner breaks down and confesses to the killing of Charles McCarthy. Sherlock Holmes later asks John Turner to write a confession letter and promises to use it only if James is found guilty. Towards the end of the story, John Turner dies; James gets out of prison and marries Alice.  Sherlock Holmes keeps his promise and desroyes the letter.

Next instance is when Charles McCarthy promises to keeep the old secret between him and John Turner about their past. He breaks his promises and uses it to blackmail John Turner, who has turned a new leaf and lives a well and respected life. Here , we can see how a secret can bring more harm than good.

Being Knowledgeable

Being knowledgeable really helps in solving the case. Sherlock Holmes, using his knowledge and experinces, cleverly solves the mystery. Knowing the word ‘cooee’ is an Australian word and associating ‘Raat’ with Ballarat really helps to narrow down the suspect. Next, when Sherlock Holmes is at the crime scene, he examines the footprints. He also takes into account the unusual mark on Charles’s  head and where he was hit. He also deduce that the murderer is a rich man from the ashes of the Indian cigar he found at the crime scene.

Law and Order

If you break the law, you will be punished. You should not take matters into your own hands. There are many ways to solve this problem and killing another human being is not one of it.

Characters in "The Boscombe Valley Mystery"

Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes

• Well-known private detective
• Very confident, intelligent and perceptive
• Trustworthy, persuasive and charming
• Shrewd, observant and analytical
• Tall and thin, smokes clay pipe, wears a deerstalker and cloak

Dr Watson

Dr Watson

• A medical doctor
• A good sidekick that helps Holmes solve cases
• Likes detective work and usually accompanies Holmes on cases
• Helpful, adventurous and trustworthy
• Gullible
• Wears glasses, a bowler hat, and has a heavy moustache 
• A bit plump and jolly (like Santa Clause!)

 James McCarthy

James McCarthy

• An innocent victim blamed to have killed his own father, Charles McCarthy.
• Handsome, kind and good-hearted.
• In love with Alice Turner, daughter of John Turner.
• Youthful, strong and fragile.
• Proactive and observant.

John Turner

John Turner

• A highway robber in Australia in the 1860s when gold was discovered in Ballarat.
• Moved to England after a major robbery and settled in a country estate in Ross-on-Wye.
• Tall, left-handed, slight limp, likes to smoke Indian cigar.
• Respectable and Introvert.
• Reserved, Secretive and Deceptive.
• Dishonest and Hypocritical

Alice Turner

• 18 years old daughter of John Turner.
• Loves James McCarthy.
• Pretty and dainty, a bit fragile after her father fell ill.
• Proactive and Trusting.
• Loyal.



Alice Turner