#acd copp

[the-guilty-monographer]

I just noticed at the end of Granada's Copper Beeches, Watson's reading out that last passage of the story to Holmes, but he LEAVES OUT THE PART WHERE HE SAYS HE'S DISAPPOINTED HOLMES DOESN'T SHOW FURTHER INTEREST IN VIOLET HUNTER??

Does Watson not ship them in this version (maybe he's finally figured out they're both ace and living their best single lives)??

Or did he just skip that line because Holmes was JUST lecturing him on romanticizing the stories too much and he knows he would get an earful if Holmes heard that Watson was secretly hoping he'd had a crush on a woman?

[sarahthecoat]

The Copper Beeches

I love the opening scene with Watson and Holmes bickering over his writing,  Holmes is bored and restless, Watson doesn’t quite know what to do with him (or he does, but he can’t WRITE that for the Strand!). Watson even notes Holmes is smoking a particular pipe that indicates he’s in a “disputatious mood”. I see the scene in the train on the way to the case, as a continuation/development of this conversation, the different ways they see the world, but this time coming closer to mutual understanding. Action is good for both of them.

Violet Hunter is the prime example of the young orphan woman, working as a governess, entirely subject to the whims of her employers, and who knows she’s getting in a bit over her head, but what else can she do? I get the feeling that ACD wrote about this kind of issue a lot because it concerned him personally.

Rucastle is a super creepy “charming” abuser, who has nearly driven his daughter to death, who knows what happened to her mum, and has succeeded in so cowing his second wife that she just keeps her head down in a “better you than me” attitude.  The vicious dog and the nasty son reflect aspects of Mr Rucastle. He exemplifies what Holmes was talking about in the train: under his charming exterior (pretty countryside), passes a chilling, nasty, greedy man who is more than willing to harm his own daughter for money. He gets away with it because of the isolation, his daughter literally incarcerated in the house, his wife and son under his control.

 It makes Mrs Toller all the more remarkable, I wish we had more about her. Somehow she has hung onto her wits and self respect, does what she can to help and protect Miss Alice (and help Mr Fowler get her away safely). I am sure she would have tried to protect and help Miss Hunter too, if only they had had a little more time to get to know each other. At first glance, it seems like the Tollers will be a reflection of the Rucastles: coarse, drunkard Mr Toller must be dominating quiet Mrs Toller, but instead they are the opposite. They are cagey allies of Miss Alice, and while Toller may be a drunk, he makes sure to put the ladder in place for Mr Fowler before he goes to drink up his alibi.

There is so much mirroring in this story, and between it and other cases. Holmes helps several young women to escape from abusive fathers, husbands, or employers. As in ABBE, the “Mr. Right” is a sailor, but at least here Mr Fowler doesn’t have to commit murder to rescue his love. Violet’s hair color is key to her selection, as in REDH, and like Mr Wilson, is not the intended target, but a means to it. Rucastle getting mauled by his own dog, reminds me of the lion-mauling in VEIL. Watson shoots the dog, as in HOUN. Miss Alice is a target because of the money she will get control of when she marries, like the Stoper sisters in SPEC, or Mary Sutherland in IDEN. There are probably more connections, those were the ones i noticed.

[sarahthecoat]

The Adventure of the Creeping Man

I’m almost not late this week! And I LOVE listening to Sir Christopher Lee read!

I’ve always seen this story as being about drug abuse, and very possibly it’s Watson trying to express his concern about Holmes’ use. Presbury takes a different concoction, but he does it for a similar reason, he thinks it will enhance his natural ability, or restore his youthful vigor. He thinks he has it under control, using on a set schedule. Holmes was using, at least in part, because he thought it aided his thought process, and he didn’t think of himself as an addict. Watson on the other hand, was acutely aware that this is an illusion, and that in fact the dangers to Holmes were very real. The effects on Presbury of his using are grotesque, and frightening and disturbing to his daughter and his assistant, both of whom care about and respect him for who he truly is, not for this twisted and debased caricature. 

Bennet and Edith also model a healthy, appropriate romantic relationship, such as Watson desires with Holmes.  We never actually meet “Alice Morphy”, she and her Professor father might be ciphers for the illusory obsessions connected with the drug use. The relationship is presented as unnatural and unhealthy, and this “Alice” not as a caring person, but one who might only be attracted to Presbury because he’s rich.

The dog, named Roy (”king”), attacks “the monkey, not the man”, and thus expresses Watson’s desire to cast out this drug-demon from his beloved friend. I love that the dog is not killed in this story, only pried off the man. COPP is referred to in the beginning of the adventure, and the attack scene mirrors that in COPP closely, except that Roy is a Good Dog, a faithful companion (like Watson!) not one that has been tortured into viciousness. One feels at the end of the story, that while Presbury has a long recovery ahead of him, that his loyal hound will be a comforting companion through it. Is Watson trying to hint that he would like to come home to Baker St?