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Monday 24 March 2014

Discussion, Week 7

This week we finished the final half(ish) part of "His Last Bow" which featured a surprising final turn, didn't it?
Sherlock: Undercover Agent! Although he has been undercover before...
 Here are some questions I hope will fuel discussion!
1) If you were Holmes, how would you have done your undercover work?
2) Why do you think Sherlock would work so hard on this project?
3) Do you really think this is, by any means, a "Last Bow" for the prolific detective?
4) Do you think Sherlock was thinking during his work?

I just thought the balloon would be a whimsical touch to this quick read with a fun ending.
-Katie

2 comments:

  1. 1) If I were undercover, I would probably pretend to be a German/Nazi sympathizer and "infiltrate the system" like that.

    2) Love of country can be a big motivator, and it seems to be a recurring theme to me in books that the Brits really love their country. There's a great line in a James Bond movie by one of Bond's coworkers before one of their big missions: "For England, James"...I think it fits perfectly here.

    3) Possibly--he does a really quiet case in the South Downs involving a poisonous anemone or lion fish that kills some people, but I don't know where that in relation to where this is. Though in that story, Holmes narrates.....hmmmmm

    4) I think Sherlock is probably thinking about how much he wants to be home in the South Downs with his bees and his books. Though he probably enjoys his little escapade with Watson. The big reunion :)

    ~Claire

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  2. 1.) Should I possess the skill to do so, going undercover as someone with a common enemy, though not completely an ally, is a good choice to make, it would help keep from making mistakes about what the Germans know about their allies (though Holmes would never make such a mistake)

    2.) I agree that patriotism could be a large part here, but also I think that doing work like this helps him 'stay in the game' so to speak. Since this story takes place years after we joined the crime fighting duo, Holmes is no longer in his physical prime, though his mind has clearly not diminished in strength, and he may not be able to do all the running around and such that he did before. So, this less active work, at least it seems like that to me, may be better suited for him now.

    3.) As a reader, it would be horrible for this to really be the last bow, not only because that would mean that it's over :( but also because of the shortness and the lack of suspense and being mad at Holmes for not sharing his theories in the story. However, the end does seem almost final, the 'east wind coming' as the Germans prepare an attack, and Sherlock going to collect his reward, it seem a fitting end.

    4.) Though Holmes may have entertained himself at home with his bees, in this story he returns to his home court, the skills he strengthened over several years and created a new career out of, as well as doing it with his old partner. I am sure that he enjoyed the thrill of being back in the game.


    ~Jarod

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