Chapter 11 - Quotations

English Lit: AQA GCSE The Sign of the Four, topic 6.2.11

Key Quotations from Chapter 11

Here are two key quotations from Chapter 11:

Mary Morstan ‘turned so white that I feared that she was about to faint’.
Mary is so shocked about Holmes and Watson potentially being fatally wounded that her face loses all colour.
This could be because she has feelings for Watson or because she feels guilty for putting both men in such a dangerous situation.
This quotation also shows Mary’s vulnerability, especially as we were previously told that she has few friends and no family. Losing Watson would have been even more devastating for her.

‘Whoever had lost a treasure, I knew that night that I had gained one’ (Dr Watson).
The romantic sub-plot concludes with Watson suggesting a possessive connection to Mary.
By using the noun ‘treasure’, Watson suggests that Mary is beautiful, unique and valuable to him – he is unconcerned about real treasure or wealth; he just wants to have Mary to love.
This would make readers like Watson even more, as he shows a great desire for love as well as a strong, protective nature.