The Drugs

In the novel " The Seven Percent Solution" by Nickolas Meyer the main conflict is Sherlock Holmes' drug addiction. Reading more and more of this book I began to ask myself one question " Even though the drugs are harmful to Holmes don't they enhance his abilities as a detective?" Could one make the assumption that if he was cured of this destructive habit that he would not be as great as he was on the drugs. The affects of cocaine is a heightened awareness, a feeling of confidence, large amount of energy. Cocaine and the other  substances that Holmes has taken give him a superhuman like quality. I am curious to know what Holmes will be like without the drugs.

In a strange way, I like Sherlock Holmes on the drugs. Holmes has a personality and skill beyond that of a normal human being. The drug addiction is what make Holmes more human like. His addiction is an example that Holmes is not perfect, he has a fatal flaw. In my opinion, if Holmes is to be truly cured of his addiction he would no long posses the qualities that make him so unique and so popular among readers.

My Movie!!!

I am very, very, very much excited for our English class book talks. As a class we were given the option of doing a standard (boring book talk), dressing up as one of the characters from our book or creating a short film and presenting our book that way. I chose the third option and decided to create a short film. I am so, so, so excited to create this film. I am going to present the main conflict in the book as the subject of said film. I am going to film myself as Sherlock Holmes doing cocaine. I will use baking flour as the cocaine and do weird and unusual things in editing to make the film look like a drug hallucination.

I indent on conveying to the class that even though the drugs give Holmes a super-human quality they are very damaging and even scary. Which most if not all recreational drugs are dangerous and scary. The program I am using for editing my film is Adobe Premiere which so far is turning out to serve me quite well. I will also add hints of Watson and his conflict to aid his dear friend and to show his concern and struggle as a important character. I hope my film will turn out to be as creative and AWESOME as I can make it.

The Story Unfolds

       In the latest installment of The Seven Per-cent Solution by Nicholas Meyer, Dr.Watson has just begun to formulate a plan to help Holmes be rid his terrible addiction. Watson has just visited his old friend from medical school (Stamford) and is disappointed to find that he cannot help him directly. However, Stamford gives Watson an article from Vienna, Austria about a young neurologist and psychoanalysist who is working on how to cure people of their addiction to drugs, more so on the addiction of cocaine. Watson is convinced that this psychoanalysist from Vienna is Holmes' only hope. Now, the problem is on how to get Holmes to Vienna. Watson knows that Holmes will not be a will participant in this journey to a healthy lifestyle. Watson has come up with a brilliant plan to tricking Holmes into going to Vienna. With the help of Holmes' older brother Mycroft they will plant false clues and trick Holmes into believing that Professor Moriarty is traveling to Vienna.

Independant Book

For my English class we have been assigned to read a book of our choosing. After reading our last book The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and watching the film Sherlock Holmes I have rediscovered my love for Sherlock Holmes. I made the decision to read The Seven Per-cent Solution by Nicholas Meyer.This book dives into the drug addictions and torments of Sherlock Holmes. Meanwhile, his partner and companion Dr. John Watson tries to aid in the breaking of these destructive habits. So far in the novel, Holmes's addiction has taken a strong hold on him and his brilliant mind. He is going crazy. He locks himself in his dark house on Baker Street, he refuses to eat for long amounts of time, he is stalking his old math tutor for his childhood because he believes him to be the criminal master mind Professor James Moriarty. Dr.Watson has now come to the conclusion that his poor friend needs help and needs it quick. He has travelled to the medical school in which he earned his education and degree. He is now consulting the opinion and help of his old friend, a man named Stamford.

Reaction to Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes is a classic fictional character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in 1887. Holmes is normally described as having a brilliant, logical mind yet eccentric in his actions. Many novels and films about Sherlock Holmes have been produced. Recently, I have watched the newest film version of Sherlock Holmes starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law. I very much enjoyed this film. Robert Downey Jr. did an excellent job in performing the actions and cleverness of Sherlock Holmes. Also, the films' soundtrack and effects made it even more special.

However, I wish the film touched more on Sherlocke's drug habits and psychological issues. Sherlock in the novels suffers from an addiction to cocaine. He also has many mental disturbances. For example,  Holmes has an irrational disdain for women. In the novel The Seven Per-Cent Solution  by an American writer Nicolas Meyer dives deeper into the mind of Sherlock Holmes. This novel is written in the point of view of Holmes's partner and good friends Dr. John Watson. Watson describes Holmes's behavior during the throws of a cocaine high and discusses the reasons why he has a strong hatred towards women. Unfortunately the films rarely present these issues or do things contrary to them. In the newest film of Sherlock Holmes, Holmes has a passion for a women named Irene Adler. This is very contrary to the behavior of Sherlock Holmes because in the novels he has no sexual or emotional attraction to women.

Even though this films lacks these important details to Sherlock Holmes I still find the film interesting and most entertaining. This film is a film I wouldn't mind watching again and again. I am excited to see the second installment to this film being released in theatres. May the brilliance and glory of Sherlock Holmes continue to be alive in the coming generations.


Also, if someone could please perhaps write a story about Sherlock Holmes attempting to solve the Jack the Ripper case that would be awesome

            

Book Reaction

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time

I have been assigned many books to read over the years and I have very much enjoyed this book. It was easy to read and it kept my interest. I liked how it was written. The writing was very straight forward with no metaphors or similes so it is not necessary to perform an autopsy on the story. It was also interesting to see how a person with autism would think and how that person lives as well. The main character Christopher thought very logically and mechanically.

Another reason why I liked this book was the mystery to it. At first, when you read this story you believe that the main character is searching for the murder of a small dog but the plot of the story takes a very different course. I also had a connection with the main character because we both share a love for Sherlock Holmes. I too enjoy the mysteries of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson.

I also enjoyed the book because it actually taught me many things that I never knew. Most of these things were insignificant little facts but I found them most interesting. For example, I never knew that Sherlock Holmes only said " Elementary, my dear Watson" in the films and not in the books. This book also gave me insight on how the mind works, especially with memory and mathematics.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery novel. I would also recommend this book to anyone ho wants to understand more about autism. I believe this book would help an individual to see just how a person with autism feels and think.

 I give this book an "A".

Henry David Thoreau

Response #2

"Henry David Thoreau believed that in order to live well, we must reduce the number of material goods we have. Otherwise, these things begin to dominate us."

Thoreau's position an material possessions is quite interesting. In many ways, I agree with Thoreau's beliefs. Material goods, especially in this modern age are beginning to dominate our life's. For example, technology, technology has completely dominated the 21st century. Almost everyone you know has a cell phone or a computer or an iPod or a television. The list of electronics can go on and on. Even though these items are useful and fun they do take essential skills away from society. Imagine if those things were to suddenly disappear, we would not possess the necessary skills to function without technology. Society would have extreme difficulties with communication,reading and writing.

Thoreau means that we must get rid of material goods and live more closely to nature. When it comes down to it nature will prevail over technology. A person should know how to function in the world of basic instinct and pure, wild nature.