The Red Headed League
Mr. Wilson's shop
Coburg Square, near the City
Dr. John Watson
Dr. John Watson is the narrator of the story, and Sherlock Holmes' assistant. Watson accompanies Holmes on his cases both out of fascination and a desire to improve his own detective skills.
More to Add ^^
He went to china (his tattoos), he was a Freemason (his breast-pin), he's done a lot of writing (his sleeve), he did manual labour (one hand was stronger than the other), he also did snuff (
Holmes POV
Holmes accuses Watson of embellishing his cases, so Holmes' version might be a bare recitation of the facts.
Holme's Strategy
Holmes collects facts and makes deductions. He pays very close attention to all details; especially very small ones that most would overlook.
Holme's Reaction to the Crime
Holmes has never heard a story like it; he enjoys it because it is unique and bizarre
The Crime
Jabez Wilson's assistant, who calls himself Vincent Spaulding, and his partner in crime, who calls himself Duncan Ross, are digging a tunnel from the cellar under Wilson's pawnshop to the basement strongroom of a nearby bank for the purpose of stealing a large quantity of gold coins stored there.
Vincent Spaulding/John Clay (it's the same person)
John Clay, the antagonist of the story, is a criminal mastermind in London. Sherlock Holmes even describes Clay as the fourth-smartest man in the city, and were it not for his criminality, Clay might even be a respectable figure. Clay has royal blood (his grandfather was a duke) and is extremely well educated, having studied at Eton and Oxford. He is unscrupulous, clever, and dishonest. He always takes pictures while he should be working. Small, stout built, quick, no hair on his face, white splash of acid on his forehead, ears pierced.
Vincent Spaulding tells Mr. Wilson which makes him very interested in The Red-Headed League
Says that it is little work for lots of pay, does not interfere with other occupations, Mr. Wilson would be perfect for the job, wishes he could be in the League, wants Mr. Wilson to go out and apply for the vacancy. It would bee easy for Mr. Wilson to join because not many people in London have the specific color hair that he has and his is the color that the leader of the League is looking for. He also wished to know why the Red-Headed League was disbanded.
clues that point to Vincent Spaulding as the probable criminal
Spaulding shows Wilson the ad and knows more than the ad says. Spaulding offers to look after the shop because he seems to want the shop to himself for some reason. Spaulding's trousers are worn and stained which shows he has been digging in the cellar.
The assistant was eager to get Wilson the job at the Red-Headed League.
Spaulding's plot is designed to keep Wilson out of the shop.
Jabez Wilson
a very stout, florid-faced, elderly gentleman with fiery red hair with small fat encircled eyes. Wilson is quite slow-witted and trusting, and doesn't suspect anything odd going on in his house. To Watson: appears to be an 'average commonplace British tradesman, obese, pompous, and slow.' His red hair was unusual to Holmes
John Clay and Ross Duncan start the The Red-Headed League for this reason
To get Mr. Wilson out of the way so they could rob the bank
Holme's Ability tio Solve Mysteries
(ability to observe) - Holmes knows which details to look for (intelligence) - Holmes is able to interpret what he sees (good listener) - Holmes recalls every detail of Wilson's story (sense of humor) - Holmes enjoys the stories of people like Wilson (courage) - Holmes does not panic when facing criminals
Setting
London, England, in the late 19th century. 'The Red-Headed League', which takes place in London circa 1891, is one of Doyle's earliest stories starring Holmes. It also takes place in fall.
this detail suggests a solution to the mystery
Only someone with an ulterior motive would accept a job for half wages.
some key details that are clues to the mystery
The assistant was hired recently and works for half wages. The assistant was eager to get Wilson the job at the Red-Headed League. The assistant knows all about the mysterious league. Wilson is paid well for a useless job.
Main Conflict
The central conflict in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's story "The Red-Headed League" is between John Clay and the detective Sherlock Holmes. Clay wants to get away with robbing a bank undiscovered and Holmes wants to solve the mystery of who robbed the bank, which would cause him to apprehend Clay.
Holmes is sure the criminals will try to rob the cellar under the bank that night
The men had obviously completed the tunnel because they no longer needed to distract Mr. Wilson, and the bank was closed on the weekends so it gave the men two days for their escape
Sherlock Holmes
The protagonist of the story, Sherlock Holmes is a private detective who works alongside his assistant and friend, Dr. John Watson. Jabez Wilson, a pawnbroker who lives next door to a bank, employs Holmes and Watson to solve the mystery of the titular Red-Headed League. As always, Holmes uses the power of logic and rationalism in order to solve the crime. Throughout the story, Holmes picks up on minute details that other people miss, and is able to use these details to deduce the facts of the crime. He has a great ability of observation, is intelligent, is a good listener, has a sense of humor, and is courageous.
Why Holmes thought it was an interesting case
These men went through so much trouble to rob this little bank, and he had never heard such a crazy story as a league only for redheaded men
