Writing an argument about Dr. Roylott from ‘The Speckled Band’ | English

Starter quiz

In 'The Speckled Band', what does Julia hear when she dies?
- The cheetah's hiss.
- A low whistle. ✓
- Roylott's voice.
In the stories of Sherlock Holmes, what does Holmes always use to solve his cases?
- A magnifying glass.
- A torch.
- Concrete evidence. ✓
What is a motive?
- The person accused of a crime.
- The reward someone gets for solving a crime.
- The reason someone commits a crime. ✓
What do Holmes and Watson agree on about the death of Julia in 'The Speckled Band'?
- It was an accident.
- She died of natural causes.
- It is dark and sinister. ✓
What is a piece of evidence cited by Holmes in 'The Speckled Band'?
- Julia's fiance came to visit her the night she died.
- Helen and Julia had a fight a week before her death.
- Julia said 'it was the band!' as she died. ✓
In 'The Speckled Band', why does Roylott have ‘interest in preventing in his stepdaughter’s marriage’?
- He would lose out on money if she married. ✓
- He dislikes her fiance.
- He would miss her if she left Stoke Moran.

What prejudiced views did some Victorian readers have?
- No one should keep exotic pets.
- People native to the British colonies were primitive. ✓
- No one should visit the British colonies.
Think about 'The Speckled Band', which quote shows Roylott is presented as aggressive?
- “See that you keep yourself out of my grip.” ✓
- ''You are Holmes the busybody.''
- ''A large face seared with a thousand wrinkles.''
What did Roylott do in the past that seems to affirm his violent nature in 'The Speckled Band'?
- Kept exotic animals as pets.
- Lost his family fortune.
- Beat his butler to death. ✓
In 'The Speckled Band', which document did Holmes obtain during his investigation to help confirm Roylott’s motive?
- Roylott's bank statement.
- Roylott's late wife's will. ✓
- Roylott's late wife's diary.
What is Roylott’s motive for the murder of Julia Stoner in 'The Speckled Band'?
- If she married, he would lose out on a lot of money. ✓
- He hated her fiance.
- She would take the Stoke Moran property.
Which argument below contains the most emotive statement?
- Roylott is an unkind man!
- Julia Stoner was a nervous wreck when she died, she was in a pitable state! ✓
- Holmes you must help Helen solve the crime!

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Some Victorian readers had prejudiced views about people who were from and spent time in British colonies
Dr. Roylott is presented as an aggressive and brutal man
Dr. Roylott has a strong motive for killing Julia Stoner: he would lose money if she survived and married
Holmes believes Dr. Roylott is behind the murder
You can construct a convincing argument using emotive language and range of rhetorical devices

That a modern reader and Victorian reader perceive the text and characters in the same way.

Use Victorian context to explain the difference between our attitudes.

Primitive - Refers to the early stage of human development, not yet using reasoning but rather emotion to control behaviour.
Native - If you are a native to a country, you were born there.
Prejudiced - Prejudice is a preconceived opinion on someone or something not based on reason or experience.
Avarice - Avarice is an extreme want to keep money.