Question

How does the series of actions go from London to India? Explain by citing references from the extract.

Answer 1

The extract begins in present-day (1888) London when Miss Mary Morstan comes to meet Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson with a case. She begins to narrate the events that have occurred in the past. The first reference to India is made in the line − “My father was an officer in an Indian regiment who sent me home when I was quite a child”, where Mary tells Holmes and Watson that her father had been stationed in India (before 1878). The scene shifts to London with the line − “He telegraphed to me from London that he had arrived all safe, and directed me to come down at once, giving the Langham Hotel as his address”, where Mary tells them about her father’s return to London, ten years ago (1878). The next reference to India is made when Mary says, “There was nothing in it to suggest a clue, − some clothes, some books, and a considerable number of curiosities from the Andaman Islands. He had been one of the officers in charge of the convict-guard there”, explaining that there was nothing in her father’s luggage, except his belongings and some curiosities from Andaman Islands, a place where he was stationed as one of the officers in charge of the convict-guard (before 1878). She refers to India yet again in the line − “Only one that we know of,— Major Sholto, of his own regiment, the 34th Bombay Infantry” − where she mentions the regiment of which her father and Major Sholto were a part (before 1878). The scene shifts to London yet again in the line − “We communicated with him, of course, but he did not even know that his brother officer was in England”, where Mary explains how Major Sholto didn’t even know that Mary’s father had returned to England when she contacted him ten years ago (1878). The scene is brought back to present-day London (1888) in the line − “A singular case,” remarked Holmes - as Holmes listens to the details of Mary’s case and admits that is indeed a remarkable one. In the evening, Mary meets Holmes and Dr. Watson for the second time and we are taken once again to the past where a reference has been made to India − “He and papa were in command of the troops at the Andaman Islands, so they were thrown a great deal together.” − where she tells Holmes and Watson about how Major Sholto and her father were in command of the troops at the Andaman Islands and hence spent a great deal of time in each other’s company (before 1878). The very next line brings us back to present-day London (1888) − “By the way, a curious paper was found in papa’s desk which no one could understand.” − where Mary tells Sherlock about a piece of paper that had been found in her father’s desk when he had disappeared ten years ago and whose contents no one had been able to understand. Thus, the action of the plot moves back and forth between India and London.