The Speckled Band and the Man with the Twisted Lip

The Speckled Band and the Man with the Twisted Lip

In the beginning of the story, The Speckled Band, a young woman

arrived at Sherlock Holmes house at quarter past seven in the morning,

with a very urgent matter that she needed to talk to him about.

The matter being that the young woman, Miss Helen Stoner, is fearful

for her life, because her sister, Miss Julia Stoner died in the usual

circumstances such as she died two weeks before her wedding. She died

in her room, and before she died, she would regularly hear low

whistling and low metallic clanging noises at around three in the

morning. Miss Julia Stoner died in her own room, where there was no

chance of anybody getting in because her door was locked from the

inside every night and the windows were crammed by old fashion

shutters with broad iron bars.

We learn that the windows were tightly shut, like an old-fashioned

house, like a prison, nowhere to escape. This prepares us by telling

us that no one could get through by the windows. This adds to the

atmosphere of that there is fear and a need of protection.

The walls were completely solid. The flooring of Miss Julia Stoner’s

room was also solid, with no trap doors or openings. The chimney, also

being wide in size, but was barred by four large staples. So it was

usual that she died the way she did, because it is obvious now that no

was in her room when she died.

And the reason why Miss Helen Stoner worries for her life is that

Helen is experiencing the same circumstances of which her sister, Miss

Julia Stoner, experienced before her death. And because Miss Helen

Stoner was worried, her life might end the way her sisters did, she

came straight away to Sherlock Holmes as she felt he could help her,

in her time of need.

While Miss Helen Stoner was telling Sherlock Holmes her dilemma,

Sherlock Holmes says,

“Mrs. Hudson has the good sense to light the fire”

This sets off the atmosphere as being cosy and comfortable, because

the fire has been lit, warmth and light is given off, where they all

can relax a little now that the fire is providing warmth and light. It

also gives off a masculine atmosphere because Holmes states that Mrs.

Hudson had, “good sense to light the fire”, as if he is trying to

imply that it is odd that a woman has enough common sense to light the

fire, as if he is belittling women. Trying to say that men are smart

enough to know to light a fire, but if a woman does it, she has “good