 Hello, and welcome to a video summarizing Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's novella, The Sign of the Four. In this video, I will walk you through the story's narrative structure, and I'll summarize each chapter of this novella, highlighting key quotes to memorize for every single chapter. This video is especially useful as you'll get a broad overview of the novella, but also, if you're studying this text on a last-minute basis for your coursework or exams, then you'll find this summary gets straight to the heart of all the events in the novella. Do bear in mind that we have an in-depth Sign of the Four course that covers everything, including context, plot and structure, themes, characters, and Conan Doyle's use of language, and most importantly, you will get access to top level nine month law answers, and you will learn how to write top responses for your coursework or exams. So let's get started. Now when it comes to the narrative framework of this novella, one thing to bear in mind is a striking feature of The Sign of the Four, as well as other Sherlock Holmes stories, is the use of Watson as the first person narrator. Now many novelists, especially at the time, such as Jane Austen in Pride and Prejudice, used omniscient narrators who are not characters in the novel, but instead are written in the third person by an unnamed narrator, providing an all-knowing, all-seeing point of view and able to comment on the thoughts and actions of many characters. Other novelists, however, use first person narrator, who are the main characters or protagonists in novels, such as Charles Dickens, his use of Pip in Great Expectations, and this allows us as readers to follow the tale completely through the point of view of one main character. Now in this novella, Conan Doyle does employ first person narrator, but instead of seeing the story from Sherlock Holmes' point of view, we see the mystery from the perspective of his devoted follower, Watson. Now this was done to sustain suspense in the stories, as Holmes's thoughts are not always revealed to us as they occur. If we as readers arrived at solutions as quickly as the protagonist Sherlock Holmes does, the novel then lacks mystery and it can end very abruptly. However, with Watson as our narrator, we trace the plot in the same way as a reasonably intelligent and sensible person might, but without Sherlock Holmes as rapid genius. So this has led many critics to believe that Watson serves as a proxy for us as readers and we're able to marvel at Sherlock Holmes' talents in a similar way to him. Also, during the age of realism, Watson provides an excuse for writing the tales by explaining that he's written about previous adventures for publication and he makes clear in the narrative that he's recounting something that happened in the past while occasionally referring to the present, such as his wife reminding him of what happened on the trip to the Lyceum Theatre and what this does is it does to some degree remove a sense of suspense as it reveals that both Watson and Mary will survive this encounter and later they will be together. Now when it comes to the structure of this novella, do bear in mind that this is detective fiction and thus detective fiction must involve crime or mystery that needs to be solved, but unlike other mysteries, the initial focus is usually on the detective. Now this story often begins with Holmes and Watson in Baker Street with Watson offering an admiring and sometimes exasperated description of Sherlock Holmes and his remarkable ability, which serves as the novel's initial exposition. Next, structurally speaking, a client arrives presenting a crime or mystery that must be sufficiently interesting for Sherlock Holmes as well as us and this provides what we call a catalyst for the subsequent actions. A series of puzzling clues such as for instance the mysterious son of four notes is presented and there must be obstacles or complications that prevent a quick and straightforward solution such as a murder within a locked room and then an exciting climax is needed which may involve chasing and trapping the criminal followed by a full confession of the criminal which serves as a novel's denouement, the end. And so of course this story follows this typical structure of detective fiction. However, do bear in mind structurally speaking that there is a subplot. So alongside the main plot of the mystery in this story there's a subplot of romance between Watson and Mary. So although many fewer words spent on this subplot by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle than the mystery, this subplot still provides a vital counterpoint to the main story and it reveals the differences between the characters of Sherlock Holmes and Watson. So over the course of the novel, Watson is immediately attracted to Mary, he grows to admire her, he has his hopes dashed by the prospect of her inheritance and then upon learning that the treasure has vanished he proposes to her. And the last chapter ends with Watson's happy announcement of his impending marriage contrasting with Holmes' slipping back into a somewhat dark depression. So now let's look at the plot in a nutshell. Beginning with chapter one. So the chapter called The Science of Reduction begins with Dr. Watson, the novel's narrator who bemoans Sherlock Holmes's tendency to indulge in artificial stimulants and in this case, cocaine. Holmes says he craves mental exaltations and is often bored because he doesn't currently have a case for detection and he proudly experienced his position as world's only unofficial consulting detective helping out the professionals when they are out of their depth. And as a challenge, Dr. Watson hands him a watch and asks him to deduce who this owner is and Holmes correctly reads the clues in the watch and announces that it belonged to Watson's unfortunate deceased brother. And the chapter ends with the announcement that a young woman has arrived and wants to see Holmes. Now, in terms of key quotes to remember from this chapter, the first one would be but I aboard the dull routine of existence are crave for mental exaltation and of course this is Sherlock Holmes talking about why he takes drugs. Also he talks about being an unofficial consulting detective. Also eliminate all other factors and the one which remains must be the truth. This is the process of deduction and finally I'd forgotten how personal and painful a thing might be to you. This is when he talks very dispassionately about this watch and Watson's brother. Now in chapter two, which is the statement of the case, the mysterious lady is Miss Mary Morstan and she's a 26 year old governess who enters Holmes's room and explains the baffling case of her father. So he'd been an officer in an Indian regiment and after mother's death had placed Miss Morstan in a boarding school. 10 years ago when she was 17, he returned to England and asked her to meet him at the Langham Hotel in London, but he disappeared mysteriously before they were reunited. She contacted her father's closest friend Major Sholto who claimed not to know that her father was in England and after answering an advertisement requesting her address, she had for the past six years upon the same date, received a box containing a single rare pearl. To add to the mystery on that morning, she received a letter saying she was a wronged woman and this letter asked her to come to the Lyceum Theatre and advised her that she could bring two friends and of course Holmes and Watson agreed to accompany her to this meeting. And the quotations to remember from this chapter are, you really are an automaton. This is Watson describing Holmes. The client to me is a mayor unit. This is Charlotte Holmes talking about his perspective on clients and the description of Mary Morstan is a very attractive woman. Chapter three, which is titled Inquest of a Solution shows Holmes who's discovered that major Sholto, the late Captain Morstan's friend, passed away six years ago. Holmes believes that Sholto's heir must know something about the mystery and perhaps is hoping to compensate Miss Mary Morstan. They're set off for the meeting at the Lyceum Theatre and Miss Morstan shows Holmes a curious paper, which she's discovered in her late father's belongings and this paper has a diagram, various notations including a curious hieroglyphic of four crosses and the phrase of the son of the four, along with four names. At the theatre, they're then met by a man who ushers them into a carriage, drives into a terraced house in the southern suburbs of London. An Asian servant answered the door and a voice from within asks that they be shown in. And the quotations from this chapter is curious paper. There was something airy and ghostlike in the endless process of faces which split it across these narrow bars of light. This is describing the airy images that they see as they go through London in the darkness and driving to an unknown place on an unknown errand. Now, chapter four, which is titled the story of the bald-headed man. Now, there's a bald-headed man of the chapter who we learn is the dais Sholto, one of Major Sholto's sons and he's actually the first half of two twins, Bartholomew Sholto being his other twin. He's an eccentric character who has turned his outwardly ordinary house into a luxurious and exotic apartment. He explains that his father returned from India very wealthy man, but he was also fearful of being attacked and frightened by men with wooden legs to the point of paranoia. On his deathbed he confessed that he and Captain Morstan had argued over the division of the treasure from India and that Morstan had died suddenly of a heart attack, fearing that he'd be accused of murder. Major Sholto and his man-servant hid Captain Morstan's body and deprived Miss Morstan of her inheritance and regretting this, Major Sholto wanted his twin sons, the dais and Bartholomew to make reparation, but just as he was going to reveal the location for the rest of the treasure, he was startled by a mysterious face at the window and suddenly died and the dais arranged for the pearls to be sent to Miss Morstan as a small reparation, but now Bartholomew has discovered the rest of the treasure and the dais arranged for them to all travel to Pondicherry Lodge to demand Miss Morstan's share, which would make her a wealthy heiress. Now the key quotations from this chapter are in that sorry house it looked as out of place as a diamond of the first water in a setting of brass to describe the dais Sholto's home, the cursed greed which has been my besetting sin and it was a bearded hairy face with wild eyes describing the dais Sholto's appearance. Chapter 5 called the tragedy of Pondicherry Lodge. Now upon arriving at Pondicherry Lodge there are signs that the grounds were dug up by Bartholomew when looking for the treasure. The housekeeper Mrs Bernstone is heard crying, she then explains that Bartholomew had locked himself in his room and wouldn't answer her. Homes in Watson then break down the door and discovered that Bartholomew was dead and on the table near the dead man is a mysterious hammer-like object and a piece of paper with a sign of the fall on it and stuck near the dead man's ear is something that looks like a thorn and the dais notices that the treasure is missing and Homes sends him off to report the crime to the police and the quotations for this chapter are the vast size of the building with its gloom and its deadly silence struck a chill to the heart. Also I wonder a subtle thing is love and the features were set in a horrible smile a fixed and unnatural grin to describe Bartholomew's dead body. Chapter 6 called Sherlock Homes gives a demonstration. Here we see Homes examining the room and discovering that two people must have committed the murder. A man with a wooden leg would have entered through the window using a rope thrown down by the second person who entered through a hole on the roof. The footprints of the second person were unusually small like those of a child. The dead man is thought to have been poisoned by the thorn which is actually a poisoned dart that was found on his head. Anthony Jones a police detective arrives he comes to a number of false conclusions in his intent on arresting the dais for the murder of his brother. Homes says that he can clear the dais's names as well as Jonathan Small who he names as the wooden legged ex-convict who had been in the room the previous evening and he asks what sent her escort Miss Murray-Morston to her home and then bring back Toby a dog with a good scent and a good way of finding convicts. The key quotations to remember are you see that I'm leaving my way around the dais this is what Anthony Jones says when he's mistakenly assuming that the dais killed his brother. I shall study the great Jones's method this is sarcasm on Holmes's part describing Anthony Jones and the most amazing power of scent. Chapter 7 is called the episode of the barrel now after returning Miss Morston to her home Watson borrows Toby the dog and returns to Pondicherry Lodge. The police detective Jones has arrested not only the dais but most other members of the household giving Watson and Holmes the opportunity to explore the area and possible escape routes for the murderers. Toby smells the creosote that one of the murderers stepped in and they follow the dogs lead throughout the night as he chases a scent across much of South London. During this journey Holmes explains how he knew so much about Jonathan Small who's the wooden legged ex-convict they're pursuing along with his mysterious companion and after some indecision Toby leads them to a large barrel full of creosote. Now the key quotations to remember from this chapter are how small we fill with our petty ambitions and strivings in the presence of the great elemental forces of nature and Toby seems to advance but began to run backward and forward the very picture of canine indecision of course describing Toby the dog who's trying to decipher these smells. Chapter 8 is called the Baker Street Irregulars. Now retracing their steps they once again pick up the trail of the suspects but find it leads them to a riverside landing stage where boats are available for hire. Sherlock Holmes tricks the wife of the owner of one of the boats to reveal that a wooden legged man has been associating with her husband Mordecai Smith and that they are on a steamboat called the Aurora. Returning to Baker Street Holmes and Watson read a newspaper article which praises police detective Jones's single and vigorous masterful mind and his handling of the case in the Baker Street Irregulars a noisy group of street urchins employed by Holmes arrive and he orders them to find the Aurora. Holmes reveals that he knows about Jonathan Small's companion who is an aborigine from the Anderman Islands and the quotations from this chapter are a swift patchering of naked feet upon the stairs a clatter of high voices this of course describes these Baker Street Irregulars and pay attention to the onomatopoeia that's used also the describes his rugged little street Arabs and great agility small poison darts. Chapter 9 is titled A Break in the Chain so in this chapter Watson returns Toby to his owner and goes to see Miss Moreston and her employer Mrs. Forrester relating to them the facts of the case known to him so far. Upon returning to Baker Street the landlady Mrs. Hudson tells him of her concern about Holmes' health as he has been particularly agitated. In the morning Holmes decides to go out to discover the Aurora himself he leaves Watson as his representative at the flat and Watson sees that Holmes has placed an advertisement in the newspaper offering a reward for information to help locate Mordecai Smith and his son Jim. Athene Jones arrives in response to a telegram from Holmes while waiting for Holmes to return an ancient sailor arrives claiming to have knowledge of Mordecai Smith which he refuses to tell anyone but Sherlock Holmes and after being persuaded to remain the sailor removes his disguise and reveals himself to be Sherlock Holmes. He asks Jones to be under my orders when they go to arrest the culprits and says Jones will be welcome to all the official credit and Holmes insists that the three of them have done it together and the quotations remember for chapter 9 are this infernal problem is consuming me and was it not possible that his nimble and speculative mind had built up his wild theory upon 40 premises? Chapter 10 is titled the end of the islander so after dinner the three men set off in a police launch in pursuit of the aurora. Holmes explains that he has realized that Mordecai Smith must have put the boat in with the repairer to hide it while the men made arrangements to escape abroad have indicated the shipyard to follow the aurora as it speeds away the spot Jonathan sport at the stern as was his small companion. When Tonga raises a blowpipe to his lips Holmes and Watson both shoot him and falls into the river trying to escape small jumps off the boat onto the money banks but his wooden leg sinks into the sodden soil. He and the Smiths are captured and Holmes and Watson locate the treasure chest returning to the police launch they notice a murderous dart and realize how close to death they had been and the quotations remember for this chapter are individuals vary but percentages remain constant. Never did sport give me such a wild thrill as it's mad flying manhunt down the Thames and his venomous menacing eyes amid the white swirl of the waters. Now chapter 11 is titled The Great Agrar Treasure so the captured small is given a cigar and a drink by Holmes who begins to question him. Small tells the men that their key to the treasure chest is at the bottom of the river. Watson is entrusted to bring the chest to Miss Moreston. He tells her of the adventure they've had and presents her with a treasure chest. Using a poker from the fireplace Watson opens the chest and they discover that it's empty. Without thinking he exclaims thank God. He admits that he loves her and now that her riches are no longer an obstacle he feels that he can declare this. She replies then I say thank God too and Watson draws her close to him. Now the key quotations to remember from this chapter are it seemed to me that there was more sorrow than anger in his rigid and contained countenance and whoever had lost the treasure I knew that night I had gained one. Now the final chapter is chapter 12 and it's called The Strange Story of Jonathan Small. So Small dominates this chapter recounting the events leading up to his imprisonment, his escape and his desire for revenge. He admits that he's thrown the treasure into the Thames since if he couldn't have it he wanted to make sure that no one else did. He tells his story starting with his days in Worcestershire his enlisting in the army and then being posted to India. There through an unfortunate encounter with a crocodile he lost his leg. After a series of adventures he found himself guarding an entrance to a fort where two Sikh gods convinced him to take part in a robbery and murder organised by another Sikh. These became the four in the sign of the four. They hid the treasure but were convicted of the murder. While in prison Small assisted a doctor and learned new skills he also overheard the conversations of the officers and doctor when they were playing card and discovered that Major Sholto was in financial difficulties. He proposed that if Sholto helped Small escape Sholto and his friend Captain Moreston could have a share in the treasure. However it was double crossed when Sholto stole the treasure and returned to England without fulfilling any of his obligation. Small used his skills to save Tonga's life the small aborigine who became his faithful friend and they escaped to England together seeking revenge upon Major Sholto and Small confirms Holmes' version of Sholto's death and is taken away by Jones. Watson confesses that he has proposed to Miss Moreston to Holmes' distinct lack of enthusiasm and the novel ends with Holmes returning to his previous boredom and reaching out for a cocaine bottle and the key quotations to remember from this chapter are we each held a secret which might have put each of us in a palace if we could only have made use of it a fitting wind-up to an extremely interesting case and love is an emotional thing and whatever is emotional as opposed to that true cold reason which I place above all things and of course this is Sherlock Holmes' own words So that's all If you found this video useful make sure you sign up for our Sign of the Fall course where we'll go over the novella its characters, themes but most importantly I'll show you how to write top level 9 model answers for your coursework or exams Thank you so much for listening