1. Sherlock Holmes The character
To investigate the character of Sherlock Holmes through different mediums.

2. Characterisation Sherlock Holmes
Read over the sheet about the Characterisation of Sherlock Holmes, and in a mindmap, list all of the characteristics & habits of Sherlock Holmes’ character that are noted in the sheet.
How do these fit the Victorian Era? How could these represent Holmes as the ultimate detective?
Sherlock Holmes

3. Portrayals of Sherlock
The character of Sherlock has been portrayed multiple times throughout the years, in different mediums, time periods and countries. The following three portrayals are the most well-known:
Robert Downey Jr.
Sherlock Holmes films (2009 & 2011)
Benedict Cumberbatch
Sherlock TV series (2010 – Present)
Jeremy Brett
Sherlock Holmes TV series (1984 – 1994)
– RDJ
– BBC
– JB

4. Portrayals of Sherlock
Watch the following three clips of the different portrayals of Sherlock, and for each one answer the following:
Describe that version of Sherlock in three adjectives
What appears to be their strength?
What is their weakness?
How closely do they resemble the Sherlock in the novels?
– JB

5. Analysing Language & Character
The following extract is taken from the first Sherlock Holmes novel, titled A Study in Scarlet. It details the first meeting between Sherlock and Watson; Sherlock is amazed at his most recent discovery.

6. Guiacum test = A common test of blood in human stool samples
"Ha! ha!" he cried, clapping his hands, and looking as delighted as a child with a new toy. "What do you think of that?" "It seems to be a very delicate test," I remarked. "Beautiful! beautiful! The old Guiacum test was very clumsy and uncertain. So is the microscopic examination for blood corpuscles. The latter is valueless if the stains are a few hours old. Now, this appears to act as well whether the blood is old or new. Had this test been invented, there are hundreds of men now walking the earth who would long ago have paid the penalty of their crimes.” "Indeed!" I murmured. "Criminal cases are continually hinging upon that one point. A man is suspected of a crime months perhaps after it has been committed. His linen or clothes are examined, and brownish stains discovered upon them. Are they blood stains, or mud stains, or rust stains, or fruit stains, or what are they? That is a question which has puzzled many an expert, and why? Because there was no reliable test. Now we have the Sherlock Holmes' test, and there will no longer be any difficulty." His eyes fairly glittered as he spoke, and he put his hand over his heart and bowed as if to some applauding crowd conjured up by his imagination. "You are to be congratulated," I remarked, considerably surprised at his enthusiasm.
Guiacum test = A common test of blood in human stool samples
Blood corpuscles = blood cells
What is Sherlock proud of?
What is Watson’s reaction?
How would you describe Sherlock, based on this extract?

7. How does Doyle use language to present Sherlock’s character?
Annotate the extract with the following language techniques and features, which provide an insight into Sherlock’s character:
Exclamatory sentences
Similes
Rhetorical question/interrogative sentences
What does each technique reveal about Sherlock?
"Ha! ha!" he cried, clapping his hands, and looking as delighted as a child with a new toy. "What do you think of that?" "It seems to be a very delicate test," I remarked. "Beautiful! beautiful! The old Guiacum test was very clumsy and uncertain. So is the microscopic examination for blood corpuscles. The latter is valueless if the stains are a few hours old. Now, this appears to act as well whether the blood is old or new. Had this test been invented, there are hundreds of men now walking the earth who would long ago have paid the penalty of their crimes.” "Indeed!" I murmured. "Criminal cases are continually hinging upon that one point. A man is suspected of a crime months perhaps after it has been committed. His linen or clothes are examined, and brownish stains discovered upon them. Are they blood stains, or mud stains, or rust stains, or fruit stains, or what are they? That is a question which has puzzled many an expert, and why? Because there was no reliable test. Now we have the Sherlock Holmes' test, and there will no longer be any difficulty." His eyes fairly glittered as he spoke, and he put his hand over his heart and bowed as if to some applauding crowd conjured up by his imagination. "You are to be congratulated," I remarked, considerably surprised at his enthusiasm.

8. Purpose of Techniques & Features
Similes
To present Sherlock’s excitement at his scientific discovery.
To present Sherlock’s child-like enthusiasm & his sense of self-importance.
Rhetorical Questions
Exclamatory Sentences
To show Sherlock’s lack of social skills and consideration of others’ opinions.

9. Language analysis is done through a PEEL paragraph:
Writing a P.E.E.L.
Language analysis is done through a PEEL paragraph:
Point = What language technique/feature is used, and for what purpose?
Evidence = Where is the technique/feature used? If evidence is too long, reference line numbers
Explanation + Language = Why was the technique/feature used? What is its effect, and what are the connotations of the keywords?

10. Exemplar Paragraph P – E – E+L
Doyle uses rhetorical questions and interrogative sentences to present Sherlock’s lack of social skills and consideration of others’ opinions. Upon first meeting Watson, Sherlock immediately asked him “What do you think of that?”, referring to his scientific discovery. He goes on to lengthily explain his thought process, asking Watson or possibly himself, “Are they blood stains, or mud stains, or rust stains, or fruit stains, or what are they? That is a question which has puzzled many an expert, and why? Because there was no reliable test.” Sherlock does not introduce himself or ask Watson of his identity, rather cares only about others’ admiration of him. His entire line of questioning revolves around his own scientific discoveries, rather than Watson’s identity or well-being, which is further exemplified by his use of rhetorical questions, in which he asks a question, and immediately answers it. This presents him as an individual who lacks consideration of others’ opinions. Furthermore, Sherlock uses lists in his questioning of Watson, which bombards him with questions and giving him no chance of answering them. Sherlock’s use of the phrase “many an expert” connotes that he is superior to other experts in his field; in addition, his claim that there is “no reliable test” presents him that the only reliable source for scientific facts, further presenting him as egotistical.
P – E – E+L

11. Mark Scheme Level 4 7 – 8 Level 3 5 – 6 Level 2 3 – 4 Level 1 1 – 2
Level 4
7 – 8
Level 3
5 – 6
Level 2
3 – 4
Level 1
1 – 2
Understanding of Language
Detailed and perceptive
Clear understanding
Some understanding
Simple awareness
Effects of Writer’s Choices
Analyses the effects
Clearly explains the effects
Attempts to comment on the effect
Offers simple comment on the effect
Use of Quotations
A judicious range of quotations
A range of relevant quotations
Some relevant quotations
Simple references
Use of Subject Terminology
Sophisticated, accurate
Accurate
Some use, not always appropriate
Simple mention
Perceptive = inferring meaning, reading between the lines, avoiding paraphrasing
Analysis = presents the effects and purposes of the techniques, as well as connotations of key words
Judicious = wise choice of quotations, must be relevant to the point and able to provide perceptive analysis
Sophisticated = specific/advanced techniques (specific types of imagery, sounds, semantic fields)

12. Mark Scheme Apply the mark scheme to the exemplar paragraph: Level 4
Level 4
7 – 8
Level 3
5 – 6
Level 2
3 – 4
Level 1
1 – 2
Understanding of Language
Detailed and perceptive
Clear understanding
Some understanding
Simple awareness
Effects of Writer’s Choices
Analyses the effects
Clearly explains the effects
Attempts to comment on the effect
Offers simple comment on the effect
Use of Quotations
A judicious range of quotations
A range of relevant quotations
Some relevant quotations
Simple references
Use of Subject Terminology
Sophisticated, accurate
Accurate
Some use, not always appropriate
Simple mention
Doyle uses rhetorical questions and interrogative sentences to present Sherlock’s character as lacking social skills and consideration of others’ opinions. Upon first meeting Watson, Sherlock immediately asked him “What do you think of that?”, referring to his scientific discovery. He goes on to lengthily explain his thought process, asking Watson or possibly himself, “Are they blood stains, or mud stains, or rust stains, or fruit stains, or what are they? That is a question which has puzzled many an expert, and why? Because there was no reliable test.” Sherlock does not introduce himself or ask Watson of his identity, rather cares only about others’ admiration of him. His entire line of questioning revolves around his own scientific discoveries, rather than Watson’s identity or well-being, which is further exemplified by his use of rhetorical questions, in which he asks a question, and immediately answers it. This presents him as an individual who lacks consideration of others’ opinions. Furthermore, Sherlock uses lists in his questioning of Watson, which bombards him with questions and giving him no chance of answering them. Sherlock’s use of the phrase “many an expert” connotes that he is superior to other experts in his field; in addition, his claim that there is “no reliable test” presents him that the only reliable source for scientific facts, further presenting him an egotistical.

13. Analysing Language & Character
The following extract is taken from the short story, The Red-Headed League, in which Watson observes Sherlock’s relaxed behaviour while attending a concert.

14. How does Doyle use language to present Sherlock’s character?
Features & Techniques
Behaviour, feelings, thoughts & personality
How does Doyle use language to present Sherlock’s character?
My friend was an enthusiastic musician, being himself not only a very capable performer, but a composer of no ordinary merit. All the afternoon he sat in the stalls wrapped in the most perfect happiness, gently waving his long thin fingers in time to the music, while his gently smiling face and his languid, dreamy eyes were as unlike those of Holmes the sleuth-hound, Holmes the relentless, keen-witted, ready-handed criminal agent, as it was possible to conceive. In his singular character the dual nature alternately asserted itself, and his extreme exactness and astuteness represented, as I have often thought, the reaction against the poetic and contemplative mood which occasionally predominated in him. The swing of his nature took him from extreme languor to devouring energy; and, as I knew well, he was never so truly formidable as when, for days on end, he had been lounging in his armchair amid his improvisations and his black-letter editions. Then it was that the lust of the chase would suddenly come upon him, and that his brilliant reasoning power would rise to the level of intuition, until those who were unacquainted with his methods would look askance at him as on a man whose knowledge was not that of other mortals. When I saw him that afternoon so enwrapped in the music at St. James's Hall, I felt that an evil time might be coming upon those whom he had set himself to hunt down.
Languid = relaxed, no energy
Sleuth-hound = detective, similar to a hound dog
Relentless = insistent, never stopping
Dual = has two parts
Alternately asserted = switched back and forth
Astuteness = intelligence
Contemplative = thoughtful
Predominated = dominated, took over
Languor = laziness
Formidable = difficult, challenging
Askance = suspiciously

15. How does Doyle present Sherlock’s character in the extract?
Home Learning
Annotate the extract with language techniques and features
Write two PEEL paragraphs, answering the question:
How does Doyle present Sherlock’s character in the extract?
What technique is used, and for what purpose? (Point)
What lines can support your point? (Evidence)
What does the technique/feature reveal about Sherlock’s character? Why was it used? (Explanation + Language)
What are the important words in your evidence, and what are their connotations? (Language)