DATE
September 24,2011 11:00 a.m.
LOCATION
Hedberg Public Library Public Meeting Room
MEMBERS PRESENT
Carol Beilharz, Tamara Bower, Ron Del Ciello, Tom Drucker,
Herbert Emmel, Resa Haile, Gayle Lange Puhl, Victor Rufer.
CHARTER MEMBER
James Haile
QUIZ AND MISCELLANY
Tom provided the quiz. Gayle took first place, Ron, second,
and Tamara, third.
STORY: THE
ADVENTURE OF THE NOBLE BACHELOR
Gayle said she felt “The Noble Bachelor” presents one of the
most disagreeable clients ever. She also added that it should have been “Lord
Robert,” not “Lord St. Simon,” as he had an older brother. Resa suggested
Watson might not have realized that. Tamara said St. Simon had an inflated idea
of his own importance. She noted that Holmes was having fun with Watson the
entire time. He teases Watson twice. Resa asked if Lord St. Simon’s expectation
was really out of line? From his point of view, he usually is the hottest
thing. Flora Millar was a “kept woman.” She drew a comparison between Irene
Adler and the king and Lord St. Simon and
Flora. Tamara noted the “jumping the claim” misdirection. Gayle said St. Simon
was a jerk. Resa questioned if people would have thought of him as a jerk. He
kept a mistress, but he took care of her, and he gave her up when he was about
to be married, which he didn’t have to do.
Tamara said it was his case that was of moment to Holmes,
not his position. Ron said that the story showed Doyle’s attitude towards class
and towards Americans. Resa noted the two countries were close allies. Gayle
said that Doyle was very influenced by American writers: James Fenimore Cooper,
Edgar Allan Poe, Oliver Wendell Holmes. Doyle’s family had connections to
members of Parliament, writers, and artists, yet Doyle grew up poor, because
his father drank. His sisters had to go out and work as governesses.
Governesses were powerless. Resa mentioned “Thor Bridge.”
Gayle said Doyle showed it wasn’t just the poor who commit crimes. Tamara noted
that, unlike in the Brett series, they all bow to each other. Gayle said Holmes
snubbed the king. Resa felt sorry for St. Simon; he made a fair deal, title for
money. The marriage market. Gayle ticked off some examples of these types of
marriages.
Ron thought the writing was excellent. One of the best
examples of Doyle’s writing. “You really got to know some of the characters.”
Yet Doyle rated it low among his stories. Resa asked what everyone thought of
Hatty’s actions. Tamara noted that at first, Hatty thought she was seeing a
ghost. Ron said she was just a kid, intimidated. Gayle thought she sort of went
into shock. Resa said, “But afterwards, they’re just going to leave.” Tamara
said to think of her first marriage; it reflects back to that. You marry, you
fly. Resa noted that Lord St. Simon needs a wife with a fortune to keep up his
property. Tamara said he faced a bleak future. Resa felt there were no
villains; everyone deserved sympathy. Gayle thought he would be looking for
another wife. Herb mentioned that the Rhodes Scholarship performs a function of
bringing cultures together now.
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