Announcing the Sherlock Holmes Essay Contest 2011 Clarkson Prize Winner!
The Adventure of the Speckled Band
By Emily, 2011 Clarkson Prize Winner
In Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's mystery story, "The Adventure of the Speckled Band," the antagonist of the story, Dr. Grimesby Roylott, is killed. This situation is morbidly ironic due to the words and actions of Roylott. This story shows situational, verbal, and dramatic irony, where the words, sheer stupidity, and actions backfire on the terrible doctor.
The first type of irony shown in "The Speckled Band" is situational irony. This is when a planned situation backfires on the instigator. This type of irony is blatantly obvious in the story. Dr. Roylott created a situation to kill his step-daughter using a venomous swamp adder from India, and the situation backfired in the most horrid way. As Holmes recalled, "He had died within ten seconds of being bitten." The irony of this situation is that the very way Dr. Roylott tried to kill his step-daughter is the same way he, himself, was murdered.
Another type of irony is verbal irony, which Dr, Roylott also demonstrated. This is when something someone says conflicts with what actually happened in the story. When Roylott visited with Holmes, to scare him out of the case, he took a steel poker, bent it in half, and said, "See to that to keep you out of my grip." There are two other points in the book where this statement would be linked to. First, the way Roylott told Holmes to stay out of his grip is completely ignored, and Holmes jumps headftrst into solving the case, and is able to pinpoint the criminal, Dr. Roylott. Also, Dr. Roylott's words conflict with the way he was killed. The doctor tells Holmes to stay out of his grip, and, in the end, the snake's grip finishes the doctor.
Irony can also be dramatic. This type of irony is when the audience of the story knows something the characters do not. The danger of keeping a venomous snake in a house around people should have occurred to Roylott. Holmes said that the swamp adder is "the deadliest snake in India," and this snake ultimately caused Dr. Roylott's demise. Any sane person would know not to keep a highly venomous snake in their house, but Roylott obviously wasn't thinking straight, and he suffered the consequences. The irony of the situation is that the readers know that nothing good could happen if one keeps a venomous snake in their home, but these facts are ignored by the doctor, and he was killed.
"The Adventure of the Speckled Band" uses all three types of literary irony, which only strengthens the ironic nature of Dr. Roylott's death. Roylott's self-created situation backfired, his own words were proven false, and his own actions led to his demise. The irony of the entire situation makes Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's masterpiece a pleasure to read.
Watson's Tin Box member, S. Brent Morris, emcees the 2011 Sherlock Holmes Essay Awards event at Howard County Library East Columbia Branch
L to R: S. Brent Morris; Third Prize Winner Aniruddha; Clarkson Prize Winner Emily; Second Prize Winner Charlotte; Andrew Solberg, Co-Chair of the Sherlock Holmes Essay Contest
Melissa, Honorable Mention Winner 2011 Sherlock Holmes Essay Contest
Sherlock Holmes Essay Contest--2010 Clarkson Prize Winner!
The 2010 Clarkson Prize winner for the Sherlock Holmes Essay Contest
was Kyra, a 12 year old student in Howard County. A hearty
congratulations for a job well done! With her (and her parents’)
approval, Kyra’s essay
was published in Irene’s Cabinet
and will be posted on the Tin Box and Beacon Society web sites.
It is with great pride that we publish this year’s Clarkson Prize winning essay on the Speckled Band. Kyra can be proud to be a young published author!
It is with great pride that we publish this year’s Clarkson Prize winning essay on the Speckled Band. Kyra can be proud to be a young published author!
The Irony of Dr. Roylott's Death
By Kyra, 2010 Clarkson Prize Winner
Sherlock Holmes Essay Contest
Watson's Tin Box, in collaboration with Howard County
Library and Howard County Public Schools (Maryland), announces the seventh
annual Sherlock Holmes Essay Contest for all Howard County Maryland public,
private, and home schooled 7th grade students in 2011. Students are asked to
read the Sherlock Holmes short story, "The Adventure of the Speckled
Band," and write a five paragraph analytical essay according to the rules
and guidelines of the contest. Students may download a booklet that includes
the story, pre-reading activities, a glossary of British terms, specific essay
questions, the rubric which will be used in judging the essays, and a contest
entry form.
Each year the Tin Box awards First, Second, and Third Place Prizes to the top three essays. The First Prize in the contest is The Clarkson Prize, an award named after Tin Box founder Steve Clarkson, BSI, who was a mentor to so many young Sherlockians. Steve started a Sherlock Holmes literary society for young people in the late 1960s. that included members from across the country. Before the advent of e-mail, the young Sherlockians would distribute their analyses of the Sherlock Holmes stories to each other in real envelopes. Steve continued his mentoring of young Sherlockians until he passed away in 2004.
Watson’s Tin Box members are committed to encouraging others, especially children and young adults, to read the Sherlock Holmes stories for entertainment as well as for historical and literary pursuits. One presentation that has been made by the group at Howard County Library is “Sherlock Holmes as Cultural Icon,” during which the point is made that even those who have never read a Sherlock Holmes story know his name and recognize the silhouette or figure of the man in a deerstalker cap with a pipe or a magnifying glass. As critical thinking and light-hearted fun have always been hallmarks of Sherlockian literary societies, Watson’s Tin Box attempts to present the character behind the icon through education and entertainment.
To that end, Watson’s Tin Box has enjoyed a collaboration with Howard County Library since 2003. Tin Box members have provided Sherlock Holmes-related items for displays at all six Howard County Library branches, presented children's events for the Summer Reading Club, co-hosted (with Howard County Library) “Dinner and a Mystery with Sherlock Holmes” for adults, assisted with “solve-a-mystery” lock-ins for middle schoolers, in addition to the annual Sherlock Holmes Essay Contest for 7th grade students in Howard County, Maryland.
Funding for Watson’s Tin Box educational programs is provided by Watson’s Tin Box members.
Each year the Tin Box awards First, Second, and Third Place Prizes to the top three essays. The First Prize in the contest is The Clarkson Prize, an award named after Tin Box founder Steve Clarkson, BSI, who was a mentor to so many young Sherlockians. Steve started a Sherlock Holmes literary society for young people in the late 1960s. that included members from across the country. Before the advent of e-mail, the young Sherlockians would distribute their analyses of the Sherlock Holmes stories to each other in real envelopes. Steve continued his mentoring of young Sherlockians until he passed away in 2004.
Watson’s Tin Box members are committed to encouraging others, especially children and young adults, to read the Sherlock Holmes stories for entertainment as well as for historical and literary pursuits. One presentation that has been made by the group at Howard County Library is “Sherlock Holmes as Cultural Icon,” during which the point is made that even those who have never read a Sherlock Holmes story know his name and recognize the silhouette or figure of the man in a deerstalker cap with a pipe or a magnifying glass. As critical thinking and light-hearted fun have always been hallmarks of Sherlockian literary societies, Watson’s Tin Box attempts to present the character behind the icon through education and entertainment.
To that end, Watson’s Tin Box has enjoyed a collaboration with Howard County Library since 2003. Tin Box members have provided Sherlock Holmes-related items for displays at all six Howard County Library branches, presented children's events for the Summer Reading Club, co-hosted (with Howard County Library) “Dinner and a Mystery with Sherlock Holmes” for adults, assisted with “solve-a-mystery” lock-ins for middle schoolers, in addition to the annual Sherlock Holmes Essay Contest for 7th grade students in Howard County, Maryland.
Funding for Watson’s Tin Box educational programs is provided by Watson’s Tin Box members.
Watson's Tin Box Wins the Beacon Award!!
Watson's Tin Box Beacon Award
During the annual Baker Street Irregulars Weekend in New York City in January 2008, Watson's Tin Box received the annual award of The Beacon Society for its literacy projects, the first BSI scion society to do so. Our annual essay contest was instrumental in our qualifying for the award.
