FICTION NOVEL REPORT (SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE'S SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE VALLEY OF FEAR NOVEL

FICTION NOVEL REPORT

SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE’S

SHERLOCK HOLMES – THE VALLEY OF FEAR

By

Dewi Resti Permatasari

10050183

SUBMITTED AS PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF REQUIREMENTS

FOR THE EXTENSIVE READING CLASS AT ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTEMENT OF

STKIP MUHAMMADIYAH PRINGSEWU LAMPUNG         

2012

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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background of The Report

The case must be happened in life of everyone. But, how about the murder case that is mysterious? It must be something that is very scary for everybody. But, it is not for a detective. Especially, it is for a detective that has the amazing mind in his brain. Even, it will be something that is always waited for his brain activity. Because the amazing brain will not be amazing again, if it is never used to think something that is amazing. And, in this case, writer will discuss novel about how detective unofficial, Sherlock Holmes solve the mysterious case.

The title of story is “The Valley of Fear”, the seventh series novel of Sherlock Holmes. This story is consisted of 2 part; The Tragedy of Birlstone and The Scowres. In this story, Detective Sherlock Holmes looks for who the murderer of John Douglas and how the murderer kills John Douglas. Here, Sherlock Holmes found the case of murder that awkward. All of proofs were aimed at Mrs. Douglas and Cecil James Barker, John Douglas’s Friend. And, in The Scowres, told about murderer is one of scowres in secret agent who revenge to John Douglas. Actually, he was Birdy Edwards, a detective from Pinkerton that camouflages as Mc.Murdo-Freeman from Chicago that ready to join with the secret agent of scowrer to hand the case of the valley of fear in Vermissa.

This novel is interesting to be studied, because some reasons. The first, the writer is the big fan of Detective Conan by Aoyama Gosho. And Detective Conan was told that he is the big fan of Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock Holmes is a detective unofficial that is eccentric character. He is has amazing brain. His way to solving the case is very interesting. And name of Conan, the author, Aoyama Gosho took from the name of author of Sherlock Holmes novel, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. So, the writer chooses to study this novel. And the second reason, this novel includes much knowledge, because the mayor character, Sherlock Holmes is character that has much knowledge in his amazing brain. With knowledge that was disclosed by Arthur Conan Doyle in the story, it will enhance our knowledge indirectly.

1.2. Scope of The Report

This report will discuss about intrinsic element of short story; plot, character and characterization, setting, theme, point of view, etc.

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CHAPTER II

DISCUSSION

2.1. Biographical Sketch of The Author

Name of author is Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle. He was born on 22 May 1859 in Edinburgh, Scotland. His parents are Roman Catholic parents Mary née Foley and artist Charles Altamont Doyle. He was the eldest son of poor parents. But, his parents could send him to the good school on 9 until 16 years old. Then he studied the medicine in Edinburgh University. After he had graduated, he worked as doctor in ship that was traveling around the world. In June of 1882, Conan Doyle opened his own successful medical practice in Southsea, Portsmouth, England. At the beginning, Conan Doyle was so difficult, because he did not have many of patients. But it did help him to develop his skill of writing, because he had much of spare time. Then, he moved to London to work as a doctor. In August of 1885, he got married with Louise Hawkins, and they had two children; daughter Mary Louise and son Alleyney Kingsley. But, 1891, he changed his profession from the doctor to the writer.

During the Boer War at 1899-1902, Conan Doyle served as a doctor at the Longman Hospital, South Africa. And he was admitted by Government of English, so he was called “SIR”. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle died at his home “Windlesham” in Crowborough, Sussex, on 7 July 1930.

Conan Doyle is the famous British author. He became famous until today, because Character Sherlock Holmes in his novel. Sherlock Holmes was created by him on 1886, that was inspired from his lecturer, Dr. Joseph Bell. The first story is “A Study in Scarlet” that was accepted by public, but Sherlock Holmes was known widely when novel “The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes”  was published in Strand Magazine at 1891. He also wrote the book about many of histories, the book “The Exploit of Brigadier Gerard”, the series fiction book about Professor Challenger and the articles based on experience of him during he went through The Boer War and The World War I.

Conan Doyle tried to finalize life of Sherlock Holmes in a story that was published at 1893, but Sherlock Holmes Lovers force Sir Conan Doyle to bring to life of Sherlock Holmes. (C.D. Merriman for Jalic Inc, 2007-www.online-literature.com/doyle/)

Some works of Sherlock Holmes (Blog Tekoblogkoblog: BIOGRAFI Sir Arthur Conan Doyle-www.blalbubla.blogspot.com)

Book

The Mystery of Sasassa Valley 1879

J. Habakuk Jephson's Statement 1883

The Mystery of Cloomber 1889

The Captain of the Polestar 1890

The Firm of Girdlestone 1890

The Doings of Raffles Haw 1891

Beyond The City 1892

Round the Red Lamp 1894

The Parasite 1894

The Stark Munro Letters 1895

Rodney Stone 1896

A Duet 1899

The Great Boer War 1900

The Adventures of Gerard 1903

Through the Magic Door 1907

The New Revelation 1918

The Vital Message 1919

Tales of Terror and Mystery 1923

A Visit to Three Fronts 1916

The Exploits of Brigadier Gerard 1896

The Green Flag 1900

The Last Galley 1911

The Tragedy of The Korosko 1898

The History of Spiritualism Vol I 1926

The History of Spiritualism Vol II 1926

Poetry Collection

Songs of Action 1898
Songs of the Road 1911
The Guards Came Through 1919
The Poems of Arthur Conan Doyle. Collected edition 1922

Novel of history

Micah Clarke 1889
The White Company 1891
The Great Shadow and Other Napoleonic Tales 1892
The Refugees 1893
Uncle Bernac 1896
Sir Nigel 1906

Professor Challenger Books

The Lost World 1912
The Poison Belt 1913
The Land of Mist 1926
The Disintegration Machine 1927
When the World Screamed 1928

Novel of Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes - A Study in Scarlet 1887
Sherlock Holmes - The Sign of the Four 1890
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes 1892

Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes 1894

Sherlock Holmes - The Hound of the Baskervilles 1902
The Return of Sherlock Holmes 1904

Sherlock Holmes - The Valley of Fear 1904
His Last Bow 1917

The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes 1927

2.2. Physical Description

Title                                : The Valley of Fear

Series                              : Sherlock Holmes

Author                            : Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Language                       : English

Publication date             : 1914

The First Publisher         : The Strand Magazine

Genre                             : Mystery/Detective

Access on                       : 31 May 2012

Web                                : www.downloadkomikku.blogspot.com

Download on  : www.ziddu.com/download/14279125/SherlockHolmesComplete.rar.html

2.3. Plot/Summary

2.3.1.      Introduction

One morning, in Baker Street 221b, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Wilson discussed about a code message that Sherlock Holmes received from informant that called himself was Porlock:

“534 C2 13 127 36 31 4 17 21 41

DOUGLAS 109 293 5 37 BIRLSTONE

26 BIRLSTONE 9 47 171

They succeed to solve that code by clue from the new edition of Whitaker’s Almanac. It meant that murder threat to John Douglas. And Sherlock Holmes suspected that Professor Moriarty involved in this case. After a few minutes, Inspector Alec MacDonald of Scotland Yard arrived to tell that John Douglas was horribly murdered last night. Inspector MacDonald asked to Detective Sherlock Holmes to investigate that case. And they went to Birlstone Manor House in Sussex soon.

2.3.2.      Rising Action

John Douglas’s face blown to pieces by a sawed off shotgun, a weapon that came from America. There is a card "V.V. - 341" beside of body. Sherlock Holmes, MacDonald, Dr. Watson, and White Mason, the Sussex Detective asked about statement and alibi of Mrs. Douglas (Wife of Mr. Douglas), Cecil James Barker (close friend of Mr. Douglas), Mrs. Allen (the housekeeper), and Ames (the housekeeper). During investigation, all of proofs aimed to Mrs. Douglas and Mr. Barker, because their attitudes were odd. And Sherlock Holmes felt that there is something that awkward (janggal) in this case, moreover a barbell/dumb-bell that missed. Then, he began to investigate the place of case, in Mr. Douglas’s study room, with Ames and an umbrella.

2.3.3.      Climax

Sherlock Holmes had known the truth from this case. He began to operate his trick. He asked to Inspector MacDonald to write letter to Mr. Barker that tomorrow morning, the stream would be diverted. At about 16.00, Sherlock Holmes, MacDonald, Watson, and White Mason spied the place of case in a shrubbery which lies nearly opposite to the main door and

the drawbridge. In a few minutes later, they seen someone was stirring up the moat with something which he held in his hand. And he hauled something. It was a barbell. They chased him and ambushed him. He was Mr. Barker.

2.3.4.      Suspend

Sherlock Holmes asked to Mr. Cecil Barker to explain about situation, but he refused it. Suddenly, Sherlock Holmes said that, “I have every sympathy with you, madam, and I should strongly urge you to have some confidence in the common sense of our jurisdiction and to take the police voluntarily into your complete confidence. It may be that I am myself at fault for not following up the hint which you conveyed to me through my friend, Dr. Watson; but, at that time I had every reason to believe that you were directly concerned in the crime. Now I am assured that this is not so. At the same time, there is much that is unexplained, and I should strongly recommend that you ask Mr. Douglas to tell us his own story.”

All of people there shocked about John Douglas that was out of his hiding place.

2.3.5.      Falling Action

Mr. Douglas told the truth that the victim was someone that tried to kill him. He with Cecil Barker and Mrs. Douglas cooperated to kill him. Actually, the victim was Ted Baldwin, one of scorwers that was revenging to Mr. Douglas. Initial V.V. was Vermissa Valley that was called as the valley of fear. Mr. Douglas, actually, was Birdy Edwards, a detective from Pinkerton that investigated secret agent of the scowers and comuflaged as McMurdo. Thenceforth, his life was dangerous. So, he killed the victim for nothing hunted him again.

2.3.6.      Resolution

Sherlock Holmes urged John Douglas to leave England and warned that a new threat greater than all those of his past, now hanged over him. John Douglas took this advice but was mysteriously lost overboard on the vessel bearing him and his wife to Africa.

Holmes was confidence that Professor Moriarty was consulted by the someone who hunted John Douglas and that it was this criminal mastermind that direction ended Douglas’s life. Sherloch Holmes intended to bring Moriarty down but warned Watson and MacDonald that it would take some time to achieve.

2.4. Character and Characterization

2.4.1.      Sherlock Holmes – Protagonist Character.

-          He is optimist and confident.

“It is Porlock’s writing,” said he thoughtfully. “I can hardly doubt that it is Porlock’s writing, though I have seen it only twice before. The Greek e with the peculiar top flourish is distinctive. But if it is Porlock, then it must be something of the very first importance.”

-          He is meticulous.

It is seen in Sherlock Holmes’s dialogue when investigate the murder case.

“Dumb-bell–there’s only one. Where’s the other?”

“…All my lines of thought lead me back invariably to the one basic question–why should an athletic man develop his frame upon so unnatural an instrument as a single dumb-bell?”

-          He is enthusiasm person.

“Sherlock Holmes’s eyes glistened, his pale cheeks took a warmer hue, and his whole eager face shone with an inward light when the call for work reached him. Leaning forward in the cab, he listened intently to MacDonald’s short sketch of the problem which awaited us in Sussex.”

-          He is swift.

It is seen in Sherlock Holmes’s dialogue to Ames.

“Well, then, we will pass to this card–V. V. 341. It is rough cardboard. Have you any of the sort in the house?”

“I don’t think so.”

Holmes walked across to the desk and dabbed a little ink from each bottle on to the blotting paper. “It was not printed in this room,” he said; “this is black ink and the other purplish. It was done by a thick pen, and these are fine. No, it was done elsewhere, I should say. Can you make anything of the inscription, Ames?”

-          He is clever, intelligent, smart, and has many knowledge.

It is seen in Sherlock Holmes dialogue.

“Jean Baptiste Greuze,” Holmes continued, joining his finger tips and leaning well back in his chair, “was a French artist who flourished between the years 1750 and 1800. I allude, of course, to his working career. Modern criticism has more than indorsed the high opinion formed of him by his contemporaries.”

-          He is person that will not stop, be quiet, taking a rest, even having a meal before his work is finish.

It is seen in narrator’s word.

“…for I had very clear recollections of days and nights without a thought of food, when his baffled mind had chafed before some problem while his thin, eager features became more attenuated with the asceticism of complete mental concentration…”

And also, in his dialogue.

“I propose to go up there presently. I have arranged it with the estimable Ames, who is by no means whole-hearted about Barker. I shall sit in that room and see if its atmosphere brings me inspiration. I’m a believer in the genius loci. You smile, Friend Watson. Well, we shall see. By the way, you have that big unbrella of yours, have you not?”

-          He like all of thing that challenge his brain to think hard.

It is seen in word of narrator.

“…He brightened and rubbed his thin hands together as he listened to the  meagre but remarkable details. A long series of sterile weeks lay behind us, and here at last there was a fitting object for those remarkable powers which, like all special gifts, become irksome to their owner when they are not in use. That razor brain blunted and rusted with inaction.”

-          He has way himself to solve the case.

It is seen in Sherlock Holmes’s dialogue.

“You know my methods of work, Mr. Mac…”

-          His mind can’t be supposed.

“All of it was excellent advice; but I don’t insist, so long as you are here when I need you. But now, before we part, I want you to write a note to Mr. Barker.”

MacDonald’s word:

“This is clean beyond me, Mr. Holmes. We saw you when we returned from Tunbridge Wells last night, and you were in general agreement with our results. What has happened since then to give you a completely new idea of the case?”

2.4.2.      John Watson – Sidekick Character.

-          He is patient person and care to his friend. This is seen in John Watson’s word as narrator.

“I believe that I am one of the most long-suffering of mortals; but I’ll admit that I was annoyed at the sardonic interruption. “Really, Holmes,” said I severely, you are a little trying at times.”

-          He always curious with something that will be happened afterward.

In John Watson’s word as narrator.

He was speaking to himself rather than to me; but my vexation

disappeared in the interest which the words awakened.

“Who then is Porlock?” I asked.

-          He is person that is easy to suspect someone.

It is seen in his think as narrator.

“I followed him with a dour face. Very clearly I could see in my mind’s eye that shattered figure on the floor. Here within a few hours of the tragedy were his wife and his nearest friend laughing together behind a bush in the garden which had been his. I greeted the lady with reserve. I had grieved with her grief in the dining room. Now I met her appealing gaze with an unresponsive eye.”

Also, it is seen in his dialogue with Sherlock Holmes.

“I am convinced myself,” said I, “that there is an understanding between those two people. She must be a heartless creature to sit laughing at some jest within a few hours of her husband’s murder.”

2.4.3.      John Douglas – Protagonist Character.

-          He is smart, clever, cunning, and intelligent. He is firm person, and brave.

In story part 2, he is a Detective Birdy Edwards from Pinkerton that camouflaged as McMurdo and joined with the secret agent of the scowers for 3 month. Then, in ending of story, he trapped the scower and catched them with the police that schemed with him.

2.4.4.      Inspector MacDonald – Protagonist Character.

-          He is discipline.

It is seen from MacDonald’s dialogue.

“…No, I won’t smoke, I thank you. I’ll have to be pushing on my way; for the early hours of a case are the precious ones, as no man knows better than your own self. But–but– –”

“My word! it’s later than I thought. I can give you, gentlemen, five minutes for preparation, and that is all.”

-          He is modest.

It is seen in MacDonald’s dialogue with Sherlock Holmes.

“No, Mr. Holmes, it’s in better hands than mine.”

-          He is optimist and confident.

It is seen in MacDonald’s dialogue.

“Man, it would be absolute nonsense if it wasn’t that anything else is even worse!” cried MacDonald. “Somebody killed the man, and whoever it was I could clearly prove to you that he should have done it some other way. What does he mean by allowing his retreat to be cut off like that? What does he mean by using a shotgun when silence was his one chance of escape? Come, Mr. Holmes, it’s up to you to give us a lead, since you say Mr. White Mason’s theory is unconvincing.”

-          He is clever and intelligent, but he doesn’t have much knowledge.

It is seen in comment of Sherlock Holmes for MacDonald.

“It immensely adds to the zest of an investigation, my dear Mr. Mac, when one is in conscious sympathy with the historical atmosphere of one’s surroundings. Don’t look so impatient; for I assure you that even so bald an account as this raises some sort of picture of the past in one’s mind. Permit me to give you a sample. ‘Erected in the fifth year of the reign of James I, and standing upon the site of a much older building, the Manor House of Birlstone presents one of the finest surviving examples of the moated Jacobean residence– –’”

“Is it not? Is it not? Breadth of view, my dear Mr. Mac, is one of the essentials of our profession. The interplay of ideas and the oblique uses of knowledge are often of extraordinary interest. You will excuse these remarks from one who, though a mere connoisseur of crime, is still rather older and perhaps more experienced than yourself.”

-          He is meticulous.

It is seen in word of narrator.

“His tall, bony figure gave promise of exceptional physical strength, while his great cranium and deep-set, lustrous eyes spoke no less clearly of the keen intelligence which twinkled out from behind his bushy eyebrows. He was a silent, precise man with a dour nature and a hard Aberdonian accent.”

And also, it is seen in MacDonald’s dialogue when interrogation.

Example : “How long were you with Douglas in California?” asked Inspector MacDonald.

2.4.5.      Ted Baldwin – Antagonist Character. He is victim of the murderer, and also, he is criminal.

He is one of the scowers that revenged to Birdy Edwards or John Duglas or McMurdo. He tried to kill John Douglas for about some years after John Douglas trapped the scowers.

2.5. Theme

Based on the story, the theme of story is,

“Investigate the murder case of Mr. John Douglas in Sussex.”

2.6. Setting

The story takes place in a England, 1914.

·        Geographical Location

The places of story are:

-          Bakerstreet 221b – House of Sherlock Holmes. Where Sherlock Holmes and John Watson was solving the code message from Porlock.

-          Manor House of Birlstone – Name of house where the murder case of Mr. Douglas is happened. Actually, in the study room.

-          Sussex – Name of city that Birlstone village is laid.

-          The valley of vermissa – It is place that was called as The Valley of Fear. It is laid in California. It is place where history of investigation of the scowrer by Mr. Douglas was happened.

·        Time Period

In story was happened on 1914. In story was not explained when the story happened. Because, this story was published on 1914. So, the writer thinks, it was happened in 1914.

·        Environmental (Athmosphere)

Life of people of England in former era when in England had nothing the modern communication media and the modern transportation yet. In this story, all of characters used telegram and letter to communicate, and used train to go to someplace.

2.7. Point of View

Based on the story, the author used the first point of view that use Dr. John Watson’s point of view. Dr. Watson as narrator. The story is told using a narrator who is located outside of the action of the story and uses first person pronouns, follow I.

Example: “He was too much absorbed with his own thoughts to give any immediate answer to my remonstrance. He leaned upon his hand, with his untasted breakfast before him, and he stared at the slip of paper which he had just drawn from its envelope. Then he took the envelope itself, held it up to the light, and very carefully studied both the exterior and the flap.”

2.8.Symbolism

The symbolism of the story is the card with word “V.V 341”. It is initials of Valley Vermissa. It was used to show that killed the victim is member of the scowrer from Valley of Vermissa that they called as Valley of Fear.

2.9. The Strengths of The Book

Much knowledge that we as the reader can get. When we read this novel, we fell that we include in the story. Way of detective to investigate, searching proof, and way to solve the case, all of them are felt real, awesome, and wonderful. It makes the reader curious and want to read again and again.

2.10.        The Weaknesses of The Book

The weaknesses of the story is almost nothing. Because the writer do like this novel.

2.11.        The Reader’s Personal Opinion

This novel is so good to we read. Many things that will we get from it. This novel has to be defended originally until today, for this story still felt its superiorities. That’s so regretted. Nowadays, many book version from this novel that was published. Moreover, it is many of them that is made more brief than the real book.

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CHAPTER III

CONCLUSION

“The Valley of Fear” written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It is the series novel of Sherlock Holmes that was published first in the strand magazine, 1914. It tells about investigation of detectives, especially Sherlock Holmes in the murder case of Mr. Douglas in Manor House of Birlstone. There are five main characters in this story: Detective Sherlock Holmes, Inspector MacDonald, Dr. John Watson, Mr. John Douglas, and Ted Baldwin as the victim. And other characters are Detective White Mason as Detective Sussex, Mrs. Douglas as wife of Mr. Douglas, Cecil Barker as friend of Mr. Douglas, Mrs. Allen and Ames (the housekeeper), McGinty as head of the secret agent of the scowrer, Mrs. Ettie as the first wife of Mr. Douglas and others. The setting of this story, 1914, Manor House of Birlstone in Sussex and Valley of Vermissa at former era. Symbolism of this story is the card V.V 341, that its history made this case happened.

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REFERENCE

C.D. Merriman. 2007. Arthur Conan Doyle Biography. www.online-literature.com/doyle/. Access on June 3th, 2012.

_________. Blog Tekoblogkoblog: BIOGRAFI Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. www.blalbubla.blogspot.com. Access on June 3th, 2012.

_________. The Complete Novel of Sherlock Holmes. www.downloadkomikku.blogspot.com.

Access on May 31th, 2012.