During the course of his investigations, Sherlock Holmes interacts with characters of many social classes. Indeed, his ability to do so proves a valuable asset when attempting to solve a mystery.

When Conan Doyle wrote his works, England had a rigid social class system, and people were defined by their traditional roles, from monarchs to beggars.

Class mobility was possible, either upwards or downwards, and many of the characters we encounter in the Sherlock Holmes adventures attempt to maintain or improve their social status. In fact, this desire provides the motive (or possible motive) for the commission of numerous offenses.

In the assigned stories by Conan Doyle, how does social class function? Does the author ever question or criticize the class system, or is it accepted as a natural part of life?

Does the writer uphold the status quo? Think about criminals who transgress social boundaries and how detectives react to such transgressions: if crimes upset the status quo, is it the role of the detective to restore order (i.e., restore the status quo)?

Write an essay of approximately 1250 words, quoting or paraphrasing from the assigned texts as necessary to support your thesis, in which you explore the above questions.

Any material from either our texts or outside sources must be properly documented according to MLA guidelines, which you hopefully mastered in ENGL 1020; however, if you need a refresher or have questions, the University Writing Center's website has online handouts about MLA parenthetical citation.

Papers lacking proper MLA documentation will be penalized.