Who or what is responsible for Dr. Grimesby Roylott’s demise? Is it Holmes’s doing, or does Dr. Grimesby Roylott seal his own fate? Determine whether karma is at work in the story or the doctor’s death is simply the predictable outcome of repeatedly handling a venomous snake. Support your argument with evidence from the text.

Suspense depends on how much the reader and characters know at a particular moment. Choose a suspenseful scene from the story and rewrite it so that a character other than Dr. Watson is the narrator. How does your version affect the level of suspense in the scene? Does it change or add to your understanding of the story’s characters? Explain.

Imagine that you are Dr. Watson as he composes this story. Almost eight years have passed since the adventure at Stoke Moran. As you reflect on the case, you decide that there is a moral to the story. Write a conclusion to “The Adventure of the Speckled Band” in which you explain the moral. Imitate the perspective, style, and diction of Watson’s narration in your conclusion.