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The Adventure Of The Second Stain Analysis

Decent Essays

Though perhaps not one of the more popular stories in the series, The Adventure of the Second Stain is just as literarily significant and interesting as any other Sherlock Holmes story, perhaps even more so. With a storyline that twists and turns, this fast-paced adventure is a worthy addition to any collection of mystery fiction, and is certainly enjoyable to read. The story begins with a brief introduction from Watson, a characteristic common to a great number of the Sherlock stories. In this introduction, however, Watson explains that The Abbey Grange was meant to be the last of Holmes’ published stories, and that the one to follow is sort of a bonus. Even this detail lends a feeling that the story will be unique and outside of the ordinary in some way, as Watson would not otherwise share it with the audience. This story, in typical Holmesian fashion, blends a story of grave importance with its own distinct witticisms and humour, primarily demonstrated in Sherlock’s interactions with Watson and others involved. Another feature established in The Second Stain is Holmes’ tendency to lean towards a “chaotic good” standpoint; In other words, his moral compass may differ from that of others, and his methods may be unpredictable and untraditional, but he always strives to achieve justice and to maintain the virtue of innocents. In this story specifically, Holmes recovers the letter and stops and possible conflicts, but also ensures that Mrs. Hope remains innocent and above

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