Gulliver's Travels

A voyage to Lilliput: Being lured by the prospect of adventure and easy money, Gulliver became a surgeon for a voyage through the East Indies. Unfortunately, his ship wrecked. He swam to an unknown shore and slept as he was very tired. When he woke up, he found himself in a crowd of very small and armed people. He is taken as a prisoner and was shipped to capital before presenting to the emperor. He made friends with the courtiers there and learnt a lot about Lilliput. For many years, Lilliput has been at war with Blefuscu over whether to break soft-boiled eggs at the big or little end. He helped Lilliput to handicap Blefuscu’s navy but the emperor wanted to accuse him of treason and blind and starve him to death. Hearing that, he swam to Blefuscu. The emperor there treats him very well. Gulliver eventually took the chance to escape when he saw an Englishman-sized boat. He was rescued by an English ship and returns to England.

A voyage to Brobdingnag: Two months after he returned to England, he sets off for Brobdingnag. He met with a storm and was in another unfamiliar shore. He was abandoned there when the crew found out that there are giants living there. He was captured by one of the farmer there and was displayed as a circus wonder at local fairs. The farmer’s daughter taught Gulliver their language and they became good friends. The farmer sold Gulliver to the Queen of Brobdingnag and the farmer’s daughter joined the court as Gulliver’s keeper. He spent most of his time discussing the country’s affairs with the king. Gulliver offered to teach the king about gunpowder but the king rejected him. He was eventually carried off by a giant bird and dropped into the sea where he is rescued by an English ship again.

A voyage to Laputa: He was tempted by easy money once again and embarks on his journey once again. He and his crew are seized by pirates and he was abandoned on a deserted island. Then, he noticed Laputa. The Laputans controlled Balnibarbi and lived by the rules of science and math. He noticed that they did not have enough practical thinking on agriculture, economics, education, and architecture. Then, he travelled to Luggnagg where the governor raises some historical leaders and philosophers from the dead. Then, he meets the race of Struldbruggs. They have eternal youth but they are miserable, senile people. Then, he sets sail for Japan, and returns home from there.

A voyage to the country of the Houyhnhnms: He was left at an unknown island and encountered the Houyhnhnms and Yahoos there. The Houyhnhnms established a society based on reasons and the Yahoos are the slaves of the Houyhnhnms. Gulliver learns their language and their country’s affairs once again. The Houyhnhnms are simple-minded and are governed by reasons. Gulliver starts to admire the Houyhnhnms and dislikes the Yahoos who are disgusting and violent. The Houyhnhnms had difficulties differentiating Gulliver from the Yahoos and thus although he tried very hard to be like the Houyhnhnms, they find him too much like a Yahoo and eventually sentence him to exile. He had no choice but to go back to England.

My favourite character is Gulliver as I feel that he is very devoted once he had decided to do something. One example is he tried very hard to be like the Houyhnhnms but was still rejected in the end. Gulliver is very emotional. This can be seen from “Gulliver consistently expresses his deep hatred for humanity, whom he calls Yahoos,” and “…still full of self-hatred and misanthropy.”

The author Jonathan Swift (30 November 1667 – 19 October 1745) is remembered for a few books like Gulliver’s Travels, A Modest Proposal, A Journal to Stella etc. Swift is probably the foremost prose satirist in the English language. He graduated from Trinity College, Dublin. I feel that he is a very good writer as the book he wrote (Gulliver’s Travels) is very interesting. I would definitely read more of his books!

The Boscombe Valley Mystery

This story is about McCarthy a very vicious man who threatened Mr. John Turner to betrothed his daughter to young McCarthy. Mr. John Turner refused and McCarthy threatened to say the "truth" to Mr. John Turner's daughter, Alice. The story goes like this...

In the early 'sixties, Mr. John Turner was very reckless and got among bad companions. He became a highway robber with another 5 of his "friends". They had a wild, free life of it, sticking up a station from time to time, or stopping the wagon on the road to the diggings. Their party was remembered as the Ballarat Gang. One day a gold convoy came down from Ballarat to Melbourne and they lay in wait for it and attacked it. There were six troopers and they managed to empty four of their saddles at the first volley. However, three of them were killed before they got the swag. Mr. John Turner wanted to kill the wagon driver (McCarthy) but he did not do that. They got away with the gold and went to England. He wanted to turn over a new leaf. He bought the estate and donated part of the money. Then, he married and got Alice. All was going well until he met McCarthy again. McCarthy threatened to say the truth to Alice. Mr. John Turner was afraid of him doing that, thus, he gave McCarthy everything he wanted. McCarthy then asked Mr. John Turner to betrothed his daughter to young McCarthy. Mr. John Turner refused and they agreed to meet up at the Pool midway between their houses to talk it over. When he arrived, he say McCarthy urging his son to marry Alice with as little regard for what she might think as if she were a slut from off the streets. Mr. John Turner was very angry and thus killed McCarthy when his son had left him.

I like Mr. John Turner the most in this story as his love for his daughter can never be stressed enough. He is willing to give McCarthy almost everything for the sake of the truth being hidden from his daughter. He had also killed McCarthy because he treated Alice, the daughter of Mr. John Turner as a slut from the streets. This had reflected his love and care for his daughter again. I feel that he is a very good father and although he had done a lot of wrongs in the past, his sins should already be forgiven and forgot. I really like this character a lot as it clearly shows a close father and daughter relationship.

This should be the best adventure I have read as I am really moved by Mr. John Turner and no other adventures could make me so emotional. I really enjoyed reading this book!

Red-Headed League

This story is about a man called John Clay who is from the royal family directly or indirectly and his accomplice Vincent Spaulding. Vincent had agreed to work at Sherlock Holmes's client, Mr Wilson at half the wages of the market price. This had made Sherlock Holmes suspicious of him. John and Vincent worked hand in hand and offered four pounds a week for copying the encyclopedia. This is to cover up as they slowly build an underground tunnel. They would make an attempt to steal the French gold on the particular night where Sherlock had predicted which is Saturday. They had chose Saturday as it is the best day for them because they will have two days to escape and also because the tunnel may be discovered. Through all Sherlock's reasoning, he concluded that they will act on Saturday.

My favourite character here will be Sherlock Holmes as I feel that he is the smartest in this adventure. John is very cunning and Sherlock Holmes could actually look at all the small details which he has found and taken note of and solve the mystery. He is a very successful detective for all the adventures and I admire him a lot.

This adventure may be quite boring but a lot of Sherlock Holmes intelligence is shown in this story, thus I feel that this story is still considered interesting although it is not as nice to read as the other adventures.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle(22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930) is the author of this book. He is a Scottish physician and writer and was most noted for his stories on the adventures of Sherlock Holmes. He "killed" Sherlock Holmes in "The Final Problem" but was forced to resurrect Sherlock Holmes due to the public outcry. Indeed, Sherlock Holmes has a great impact on the readers.

A Case of Identity

This story is about a man called Mr Windibank who acted like he is Mr Hosmer Angel. In fact, the both of them are the same person. He did this to ensure that Miss Sutherland, her step-daughter would not get married at least for the next ten years. He did this as he would be able to use Miss Sutherland's money as long as she lived with him and his wife. It was quite a huge sum of money for them and it would make a serious difference if they lose it. As Miss Sutherland was affectionate and warm-hearted in her ways, she would not be single for long. Therefore, Mr Windibank keeps her at home and forbids her to seek the company of people of her own age. However, it was useless as Miss Sutherland decided to go to a certain ball and defy his orders. Mr Windibank disguised himself with the help of his wife, covered his keen eyes with tinted glasses, masked the face with a moustache and a pair of bushy whiskers. He appears in the ball as Mr Hosmer Angel and keeps off other lovers by making love himself. Then, he made Miss Sutherland swear that she would not marry another person accept Mr Hosmer Angel, after that he disappeared into thin air and never came back. This will ensure that Miss Sutherland would not get married at least for the next ten years.

Mr Windibank is very smart I must say, but Sherlock Holmes is much more smarter as he uncovers the truth. Miss Sutherland is very straight forward and she is also very loyal. It is a pity that her loyalty was made use of by Mr Windibank. I like Mr Windibank the most because he is very smart to plan all this nicely to let his step-daughter walk into his trap unknowingly. He must have known his step-daughter really well to be able to plan this trap.

This adventure is better than the Red-headed league as the red-headed league is quite boring and difficult to understand.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle(22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930) is the author of this book. He is a Scottish physician and writer and was most noted for his stories on the adventures of Sherlock Holmes. He "killed" Sherlock Holmes in "The Final Problem" but was forced to resurrect Sherlock Holmes due to the public outcry. Indeed, Sherlock Holmes has a great impact on the readers.

A Scandal In Bohemia

The main characters in this story is Sherlock Holmes, the King, Watson(Author) and Irene Adler. Sherlock Holmes is very smart in all his adventures. However, in this adventure/case, it was the first and last time he got "bluffed" by a woman called Irene Adler. Irene Adler had a photo which she used to threaten the King. As the king is marrying a princess, he could not afford to let this photo reach the princess hands. The king had no choice but to ask Sherlock Holmes for help. Sherlock used a trick where Watson will throw an ordinary plumber's smoke rocket fitted with a cap at either end to make it self-lighting and shout fire so that Irene Adler as assumed will take her most valuable item which is the photo, while Sherlock Holmes will act as if he is injured and get himself inside the house. Sherlock Holmes planned this trick as he had experience seeing a pregnant woman taking her baby(most precious thing) when there is fire. Unfortunately, this trick could not work because Irene Adler was an actress an could see through Sherlock Holmes act. On top of that, she was already warned that the king would definitely find Sherlock Holmes for help. Therefore, Irene Adler was aware that Sherlock Holmes may go to her house any time. Irene Adler was taken in at the first, but realised that what Sherlock Holmes did was a trick and thus, she quickly took the photo and took flight. Although Sherlock Holmes was outwitted(for the first time), Irene Adler promised that the photo will be used only to safeguard herself and from any steps which the king might take in the future. I feel that this adventure is very well-written as it is the first time Sherlock Holmes got outwitted. I must say that Irene Adler is indeed shrewd and intelligent.

My favourite character is Irene Adler as she is pretty(stated in the book), she is very smart(outwitted Sherlock Holmes) and she is kind(promised not to let the photo get into the hands of others).

Comparing this adventure to the 2nd adventure which is A case of identity, this adventure is definitely better written as it is the only time Sherlock Holmes is outwitted, making it very interesting.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle(22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930) is the author of this book. He is a Scottish physician and writer and was most noted for his stories on the adventures of Sherlock Holmes. He "killed" Sherlock Holmes in "The Final Problem" but was forced to resurrect Sherlock Holmes due to the public outcry. Indeed, Sherlock Holmes has a great impact on the readers.