Plot holes in Sherlock Holmes stories (wide open spoilers)

[Thudlow_Boink]

@RealityChuck

Most obvious was “The Speckled Band.” The snake is drawn back to its owner by “a low, clear whistle.” But snakes have no ears and cannot hear the pitch of a whistle.

@Colibri

Although it’s regarded as one of the greatest Sherlock Holmes stories, my English teacher used it as a glaring example of bad writing.

@Wikipedia

it is considered by many to be one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s finest works, with Sir Arthur himself calling it his best story

@ftg

The Adventure of the Speckled Band struck me as being weirdly contrived, even by Doyle standards. And not just the usual mumbo jumbo like the snake, a “swamp adder”, being known to Holmes as the deadliest snake in India when no snake by that name exists there.

So this snake, goes thru a ventilator. Skinnies down a fake bell cord. Goes right to the intended victim. Attacks and kills the victim*. And then suitably retreats.

The magically venomous snake, of course, being successfully brought back from India and kept alive for at least 8 years.

Right.

Plus all the other plot magic about who is where at the right time which the Big Bad should know and yet doesn’t alter his planning.

• Succeeded once. Would have succeeded a 2nd time if Holmes hadn’t been there. And went right back to the ventilator and killed the Big Bad.

Fridge Logic?

Yeah, it’s a pretty bad story by plausibility standards. I can’t decide whether to scoff at Arthur Conan Doyle, or give him props for writing such a popular and effective story based on such a ridiculous premise.

[Chronos]

OK, so Doyle was using the word “carbuncle” to mean “garnet”. It’s conceivable that one might have a gem with the same basic composition and structure as a garnet, but with slightly different impurities, leading to a highly unusual color. And such a gem would probably be more valuable as a result.

[Colibri]

@markn_1

Regarding simple inconsistencies, of which there are many, one glaring one is in The Man with the Twisted Lip, in which Watson’s wife calls him “James”. The “Haimish” explanation is ingenious but it’s certainly not what Doyle had in mind; it was just a mistake.

I was amused that the 2010 BBC series Sherlock explicitly made Hamish Watson’s middle name, which actually became a plot point in one of the later episodes.

[Colibri]

@Chronos

OK, so Doyle was using the word “carbuncle” to mean “garnet”. It’s conceivable that one might have a gem with the same basic composition and structure as a garnet, but with slightly different impurities, leading to a highly unusual color. And such a gem would probably be more valuable as a result.

Blue garnets are actually a thing, but I believe they were discovered fairly recently.

[dalej42]

Just finished The Adventure of the Noble Bachelor and yet again America figures into the story.

The more I think about it, Holmes seems like the ‘I don’t own a TV’ type of the modern era. While he may pretend to be ignorant of certain things, I have a feeling he secretly read more than just the crime news, just didn’t want to admit it.

[dalej42]

@Colibri

Roylett also fed the snake on milk, which of course snakes don’t eat and can’t digest. And there is no such thing as an Indian Swamp Adder. (Roylett should instead have fed his fictional snake on Giant Rats from Sumatra.;))

The story also depends on the two step-daughters being so unobservant that they don’t notice (or at least don’t put any significance on the facts) that the ventilator in the bedroom goes to the next room (rather than outside, as it should to be of any use), the bell-pull is a dummy, and the bed is bolted to the floor.

The story was included on our reading list in high school. Although it’s regarded as one of the greatest Sherlock Holmes stories, my English teacher used it as a glaring example of bad writing.

I can’t imagine the first stepsister being such a heavy sleeper that she wouldn’t have a sixth sense to realize there was a snake in her room.

It’s interesting how that’s been used as a plot device in at least two of the James Bond films: the tarantula scene in Dr No and the snake scene in Live and Let Die. I’m sure I’m missing more.

[RealityChuck]

@dalej42

I can’t imagine the first stepsister being such a heavy sleeper that she wouldn’t have a sixth sense to realize there was a snake in her room.

It’s interesting how that’s been used as a plot device in at least two of the James Bond films: the tarantula scene in Dr No and the snake scene in Live and Let Die. I’m sure I’m missing more.

And the tarantula scene is also a plot hole: tarantulas are not deadly.

[Gyrate]

@RealityChuck

And the tarantula scene is also a plot hole: tarantulas are not deadly.

Tell it to Harry Belafonte, while you’re at it.