Structure & Characters

Significance of Structure for Characters

Structurally, it is important to note that all of the other characters seem to either benefit or lose something from the investigation – except for Sherlock Holmes.

Quotation

‘You have done all the work in this business. I get a wife out of it, Jones gets the credit, pray what remains for you?’ (Dr John Watson).

How characters benefit or lose out

Watson gets engaged to Mary.
Thaddeus loses his brother but gains his family’s wealth.
Tonga loses his life.
Jonathan Small loses the treasure and his freedom.
Sherlock Holmes simply returns to the same thing he was doing before the case began: taking cocaine.

Cyclical structure

Holmes’ character follows a cyclical structure, whereby he takes drugs for mental stimulation, then he is given a case to investigate and he solves it, and then he returns to taking drugs.
His whole life revolves around attempts to stimulate his brain.
In fact, Holmes seems to feel that any other pursuit in life is worthless – he criticises Watson for becoming romantically involved, as he argues that it is a distraction from logical thought and reasoning.

1Context

1.1Victorian England & British Empire

1.1.1Author Background

1.1.2Victorian Crime & Police

1.1.3Historical Context

1.1.4Victorian London

1.1.5Women

1.1.6The British Empire

1.1.7End of Topic Test - Author & Victorian Police

1.1.8End of Topic Test - Victorian London & Empire

2Plot Summary

2.1Chapter Summaries

2.1.1Chapter 1

2.1.2Chapter 2

2.1.3Chapter 3

2.1.4Chapter 4

2.1.5Chapter 5

2.1.6Chapter 6

2.1.7Chapter 7

2.1.8Chapter 8

2.1.9Chapter 9

2.1.10Chapter 10

2.1.11Chapter 11

2.1.12Chapter 12

2.1.13Chapter 12: Jonathan Small's Stories

2.1.14End of Topic Test - Chapters 1-6

2.1.15End of Topic Test - Chapters 7-12

3Characters

3.1Key Characters

3.1.1Sherlock Holmes

3.1.2Sherlock Holmes: Quotations

3.1.3Dr John Watson

3.1.4Mary Morstan

3.1.5End of Topic Test - Key Characters

3.1.6Exam-Style Questions - Mary & Dr Watson

3.2Other Characters

3.2.1Thaddeus Sholto

3.2.2Jonathan Small

3.2.3End of Topic Test - Thaddeus and Jonathan Small

3.3Grade 9 - Key Characters

3.3.1Grade 9 - Key Characters

3.3.2Extract Analysis - Tonga

4Key Themes

4.1Key Themes

4.1.1Corruption

4.1.2Criminals & Victims

4.1.3Victorian Fear

4.1.4British Empire & Imperialism

4.1.5Duality

4.1.6End of Topic Test - Key Themes

5Writing Techniques

5.1Writing Techniques

5.1.1Narrative Voice

5.1.2Dialogue

5.1.3Structure

5.1.4Structure & Characters

5.1.5Pathetic Fallacy

5.1.6End of Topic Test - Writing Techniques

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