A Study in Scarlet (Part Two): Chapter 3 {Sunday Midnight Book Club #6}
Hello, Internet, and good mornight to you all!
My name is Taffryne, shoppekeeper of Midnight on Memory Lane, and it is my absolute delight to welcome you to this week's gathering of Sunday Midnight Book Club!
'Tis a pleasure, 'tis a pleasure indeed.
As the title of this post says, we're going to be talking about the third chapter of part two of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's first-ever Sherlock Holmes story, A Study in Scarlet. I humbly present my thoughts for your enjoyment and consideration. Accordingly, please mind that there will be spoilers ahead!
Page Bound Link: click here!
Disclaimer: All of the original Sherlock Holmes books were written by a well-off, white gentleman in the late 1800s. Unfortunately, there potentially will be relics of their time, be it terminology or depictions, at varying levels of offensiveness. I mean no disrespect to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, nor his legacy; I merely want to make it clear that they were wrong during his time, they are wrong now, and I am wholeheartedly in no way endorsing them on this blog. Everyone has different levels of acceptability, so please advise and feel no judgement if you'd rather not take the risk yourself this time around.
Trigger Warnings: Discussions of Mormonism, References to Religious Killings, References to Religious Kidnappings, References to Violence Against Women, Arranged Marriages, Threats, Firearms, Taffryne Cusses
Chapter 3 ~ John Ferrier Talks with the Prophet
Recollection
- John doesn't want Lucy to marry one of the Mormons in the community and instead wants her to marry Jefferson
- John's worried about how this will shake down as going against the Mormon cultural norms could be threatening to his family and status
- John also fears the dark side of the community elders being alluded to by certain doctrines and happenings (pillaging, kidnapping, etc)
- Brigham Young (2nd President of the LDS Church) visits John to discuss and admonish Lucy's engagement to Jefferson
- Young says that Lucy has a month to choose between either Strangerson's or Drebber's son to marry
- Young also "subtly" threatens John and Lucy should they go against this plan by quoting scripture, guilting John, and screaming
- Their plan to escape this is to send a letter to Jefferson, raise as much money as they can, and then get the hell out of Utah in secret
- Lucy is worried and scared, but John's pretending not to be scared, so he just makes sure the doors are locked and that is gun is ready-to-shoot
So, uhhh...this sucks! Yeah, that's, that's it. This sucks. This so very, very much sucks.
Perhaps it's because I'm a woman. Perhaps it's because I'm not particularly religious (more spiritual, honestly). Perhaps it's because I'm not a rich, white, male religious elder of the LDS Church in the 1800s. However, I don't get stuff like this. Legitimately, I don't. I have no intention of persecuting one's religious beliefs, but I don't understand how someone could justify their piety and righteousness whilst also justifying shadow patrols of murderers and bandits. I don't understand how someone can claim holiness and virtue whilst threatening someone to ignore their child's autonomy and force them into a marriage. I don't care if it's fiction, these "elders" are awful people.
"You will give us time...My daughter is very young - she is scarce of an age to marry" (Pg.50)
"She shall have a month to choose...At the end of that time she shall give her answer" (Pg.50)
HER ANSWER!?!? "Her answer", my ASS!
Did they give him respect and land? Absolutely. However, he is the one that worked that land, that build that house, that earned that respect, that fostered that community, and that amassed his wealth! The religious part, from what is written at least, was such a footnote in the development of the Ferriers. The fact that they would've left him for dead had he not agreed to their religion is already enough in my book to write off anything else they could try and justify or cite. I don't condone murder, but no wonder Jefferson killed these two. The entitlement, my goodness.
See, now I'm just heated over this bullshit and also getting tense for the inevitable tragedy that's going to happen. How's it going to happen? Will they set the house and fields on fire? Are they going to get caught trying to escape and end up murdered? I'd love to believe that they could make it out of this alive, but if Jefferson is going to end up a murderer...I really don't think they will.
Ugh, this sucks!!!
Thanks for Reading!
I hope you've been able to read the story for yourself! If you haven't, that's okay too! My thoughts are here to keep you updated and entertained in the meantime.
This caps off this week's gathering for Sunday Midnight Book Club, so off into the nighttime we go in preparation for tomorrow!
I hope you'll come back for tomorrow's Manga Monday! We'll be discussing volume 6 of The Legend of Zelda - Twilight Princess.
May we meet again at Midnight!