Do you believe the Barrymores or the Stapletons are more suspicious? Why? What is your proof? Who should Holmes/Watson focus on? Why?
Make your case, and respond to at least one peer of the opposite side in which you argue your point.
Due Wednesday, March 2nd.
I think that the Stapletons come off as being more suspicious. This is because of the way they interacted with Watson during the start of his investigation. For example, Mr. Stapleton describes how only he knows the way into and out of the moor safely. Nobody else has made it out because nobody else knows how to get out. This makes Mr. Stapleton appear suspicious because he could be responsible for the things that happen in the moor since he is the only one who can safely go in there. On the other hand, Mrs. Stapleton also comes off as very suspicious. When Mrs. Stapleton first runs into Watson, she thinks he is Sir Henry Baskerville and immediately starts verbally threatening him. She tells him he has to go back to London right now. Although she later tells Watson that she said that because she was looking out for the best for Henry, if she was looking out for him, why would she be so aggressive in the way that she spoke to who she thought was Henry? This makes her seem suspicious because from the way she was yelling at Watson, she seemed as if she would have something to gain as a result of Sir Henry leaving Baskerville Hall. I think that Watson should split his focus equally between the Stapletons and the Barrymores because although the Stapletons appear to be more suspicious at this point, the person who is responsible for what has been threatening the Baskervilles could be the less obvious of the two.
ReplyDeleteI Think that both the families are suspicious and that Holmes and Watson should focuse on both of them. The most suspicious of the two would have to be the Barrymores. They are the family that has more proof and conection with Sir Charles, they are the family that wants to get out of the house,and Mr. Barrymore looks like the man that was following around Sir Henry in London. Mr. Barrymore has lied to Dr. Watson and want to get out of serving the Baskervilles and form a business of his own now that he finally has more. Seems supicious that he would recive shuch a large sum of money from Sir Charles and now want out from serving the family.
ReplyDeleteIn responce to Ryan. I have to agree with his reasoning of Mr. Stapleton being suspicious since he does know everything about the land in which surrounds the Baskerville estate. He seems to know a whole lot about the nature and animals that life around the area. Mr. Stapleton seem to be the type of person that is putting up a frount for Dr. Watson and not showing his true colors. His sister knowing his true colors want to warn the master of the Estate. She seems to be suspicious herself, being a beautiful girl who has a lisp and is content with staying inside and reading books all day. Mr. Stapleton is also friendly with Dr. Mortimer, and having other consider Dr. Mortimer as beign the muderer it seems suspicious that the two men would be at such a close aquaintance.
ReplyDeleteI believ that Barrymore is the more suspicious of the two differant suspects. I believe this because one as they used to always say "the butler did it" and two when Watson asked him about the sobbing lady he denied hearing it and told Watson he did not have the slightest idea of what Watson was talking about. But as Watson continued through his day he discovered Mrs. Barrymore had red eyes and swollen eye lids which is a sure fire way of telling if someone was actually crying or not. This indication of her crying proved that Mr. Barrymore was lying and that is highly suspicios that he would be lying about such a thing its like he is trying to cover up something. Also they desire to leave quickly and soon as Sir Henry gets settled this is suspicious because they have beenj with the family for several generations and for them to just get up and leave all of a sudden is quite strange. Perhaps they are trying to escape something or someone with the money they got from Sir Charles.
ReplyDeleteHolmes and Watson should focus upon the Barrymores because one they are trying to leave as soon as possible and if they did do the murder then if they let them go they could get away with it rather the Stapletons are perment residents that will always be there to ask question to. Another point that should be made is that the Barrymores would be good to focus on because so far they are the most suspicious suspect that exists in the story as of this moment thus Watson and Holmes should focus on the Barrymores but alo keep in mind that there still could be others that exist in story that have involvments with the murder.
In response to Malinda, I agree that the Barrymores are suspicious for the reasons you previously mentioned. However, I think that the reason they want to leave is that after all of their years of service and hearing about the brutal deaths of their masters, they probably cannot bear it anymore. They may be even fearful for their own lives. I think that most people would feel fearful and want to leave after a death that tragic had occured within close proximity to them. However, in contrast, the things Mr. Stapleton did that made him suspicious was unique only to him. Mr. Stapleton claimed he was the only one who knew how to safely get into the moor and out. He even warned Watson not to, that only he was capable of doing it. Unlike Mr. Barrymore who is doing something that a lot of people probably would, Mr. Stapleton is claiming a quality that is unique to himself. The fact that he is the only one who can safely go into the moor and that many of the Baskerville deaths have occurred near the moor makes the Stapletons very suspicious.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Ryan's opinion that the Stapeltons are the more suspicious of the two families, I at first was in belief that the Barrymores were the more suspisous of the two families but with the points that Ryan presents I think my opinion changed on the matter and now I believe that the Stapletons are the more suspisous. Ryan makes a good point when he talks about how Mr. Stapleton says he knows his way in and out of the moor and thus with that information he could most certainly determine how to mess with the people of baskerville and could carry out secret business in the inner layers of the moors. As his sister reaction when she mistakes Watson for Sir Henry is quite pericular considering she explains her brother just is looking out for the safety of her brother but she aggressively attacks watson with verbs warnings and scared talk to save Sir Henry and get him to go back to London.
ReplyDeleteI that that the Stapletons are more suspicious then the Barrymores. I think this because of the way that Mr. Stapleton boasts about how he knows his way safely into and through the bog, which in turn he can get to the moor. Also the way that Ms. Stapleton reacted to Watson, that she thought was Henry. Her standoffish attitude and hostility toward Watson made her look very suspicious.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Malinda: The Barrymore's decision to leave their servanthood can be primarily based on their fear of death. After Charles' death it would be a good time to leave, the down time between a change in their masters. After all that has happened to the family would make it questionable as to why the servants have stayed as long as they did.
In my opinion, the Stapletons are more suspicious because of Beryl and how she acted when she thought Watson was Henry. She wanted him to get out immediately, indicating that she knows something that she isn't ready to tell anyone yet, but is concerned with his safety. Also, Mr. Stapleton is suspicious because of his unusual interest in the case and what exactly Holems and Watson know. He seems to be more of a nosy neighbor and more concerned with getting caught. They need to be kept an eye on because they have the ability to fly under the radar because there is still a considerable distance between them. The Barrymores are right under Watson's nose- if something fishy starts happening watson will know, and he has to keep an extra eye on the Stapletons.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the Stapletons’ come off as being the most suspicious. This is due to the fact that when Mrs. Stapleton first thought that Watson was Sir. Henry. In her greeting she warned Watson to leave the Baskerville Manor immediately. However once she found out that she was talking to Watson instead of Sir Henry she encouraged Watson to forget about the warning. It could be deduced that Mrs. Stapleton is warning Sir. Henry to leave because her husband may have plans to hurt him. This argument is strengthened in the fact that Mr. and Mrs. Stapleton do not seem close.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Malinda: Malinda, you brought up a good point that both families are suspicious. The Barrymores’ have acted suspiciously and I agree that it is wise for Watson to keep an eye on both families.
While both the Barrymores and the Stapletons are suspicious, I believe that Dr. Watson and Holmes should focus their efforts more into investigating the latter. The Barrymores do seem to be hiding something, but I do not think they murdered Sir Charles. They are almost too obvious; and, it would not be a very exciting story if the most obvious suspects were the actual murderers. This is obviously not true in reality, but it is of a good mystery novel. Also, Mr. Stapleton seems to know his way around the moors almost too well, and he and Miss Stapleton tried repeatedly to make Dr. Watson believe the myths. And, if I were the murderer I would try to build up as much superstition around the case as I could to blur the truth.
ReplyDeleteI think that the Stapletons are more suspicious then the Barrymores. Mr. Barrymore was suspicious to me at first, but i believe that he may have lied to Watson about his wife crying just because he doesn't know Watson and Sir Henry very well and he did not feel comfortable telling them about an argument that they may have had that night. Mr. Stapelton was a very strange man, and I didn't know what the reason for him taking Watson across the moor to his own house was if it was so far. He seemed to keep bragging about how he is the only one who is able to live on the moor because he knows the landscape so well. I think it was suspicious that no one has ever come out of the "great Grimpen Mire". It was also suspicious that Mrs. Stapleton was so concerned about Watson's safety on the moor. Even after she knew that Watson was not Sir Henry she was uneasy and she ran to meet him after he left the house but was worried about her brother knowing that she was gone. I think that Mr. Stapleton is the man that Holmes and Watson should focus their attention on.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Malinda: while i agree with you in saying that it is suspicious that they would want out of the family after an inheritance like that, I also think that they Barrymores have an obligation to fill and have to stay for a certain period of time, right under Watson's nose. If something was to happen with them, more likely than not, he would know because he has to come into contact with they Barrymores on a daily basis. However, he doesn't have that luxury with the Stapletons because he may not see them every day, and therefore has to keep an extra eye on them.
ReplyDeleteIn response to mark, I agree that Mr. Barrymore's actions are very suspicious. In the case of the sobbing woman, I think that Mr. Barrymore did not want to make a scene involving his wife with two people that he didn't know. About the Barrymore's leaving, I think that they are afraid for their own lives and also that they no longer feel comfortable living in Sir Charles' home after his death. They received the money from Sir Charles' will and they do not want to impose on the family anymore. I think that they are uneasy about the surroundings that they are living in and want to find a better place to be.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Malinda: I think that the Barrymores would certainly have known that them wanting to leave would have given rise to suspicion, which goes along with my point that they are obviously the ones Doyle wants us to believe are the murderers. Plus, the fact that Sir Charles left them each a large sum of money only takes away any motive they would have had in killing him. Perhaps the Barrymores made known to Sir Charles that they wanted to leave Baskerville Hall so he left them money in his will to help them.
ReplyDeleteBoth are acting very suspiciously. Barrymore seems to deny that he heard any crying in the night & Miss Stapleton was very eager to tell Watson to leave when she thought that he was Baskerville but upon finding that he wasnt she really wanted him to forget about what she said as if it had no relevance. So in my mind Miss Stapleton is acting much more suspicious than Barrymore and should thus be watched more by Watson than Barrymore, because she seems to be plotting ill will towards Baskerille but certainly doesnt want Watson to think so, but in her telling him to forget about what she said she put herself very high on the list of suspects.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Grace:
ReplyDeleteBoth of the Stapletons seem to know their way around the moor to well. Miss Stapleton was able to meet up with Watson in a locale that he would not have expected to meet anyone because it seemed very dangerous to be out running about. Her brother even told Watson not to follow him because he might get stuck in the moor with no way out, but Stapleton knew how to get around the 'danger areas'
To Mark:
ReplyDeleteBut dont you think that if they really wanted to the Stapletons could move and leave no forwarding address to avoid questioning if they are indeed the murderers?
After reading Chapter 7, I feel as if the more suspicious set of people are the Barrymores. The overall way they have been acting has brought me to think this, and some particular events even push me further in that direction. First of all, the Barrymores both want to leave the Baskerville Manor as soon as possible. Why would they immediately want to get up and leave after being with the family for several generations? They have obviously already experienced death through this family, so what's the problem now? Even though they stated they had a close relationship with Sir Charles, wouldn't they have had close relationships with the other Baskervilles as well?
ReplyDeleteSecondly, the whole situation with Mrs. Barrymore shreaking and crying in the middle of the night is very suspicious. What makes it even more suspicious is the fact that Mr. Barrymore lied to Watson about it. Since there was clear proof she had been crying (her red eyes and swollen eye lids), why deny it? This is simply another piece of evidence that points to the guilty nature of the Barrymores.
Watson and Holmes should clearly put their focus on the Barrymores. One, there have been several suspicious acts done by them, which proves they cannot be trusted. And two, they want to leave as quickly as possible, so they must be examined hastely.
In response to Kierstyn: Even though some of your points are valid, I feel like the Stapletons are innocent and mean no harm. Firstly, I believe when Mr. Stapleton was bragging about himself knowing the moor so well, that's simply what it was, bragging. Why would he tell Watson he is the only one who knows the way out of the moor if he was the killer? I do agree that they are a little out there, but I believe they mean no harm.
ReplyDeleteI think the Stapletons are more suspicious. Mr. Stapleton's knowledge of the Moor is too much for the time that they have been living there. His willingness to share his knowledge may be his way to hide that he is trying to hide something from Watson. With how dangerous the moor is, however, one with a strong motive will be the one to truly investigate it. Also, Mrs. Stapleton's reaction to Watson as if he was Henry was one of defense. She acted as if she had something she could not let anyone see. I think Holmes and Watson need to keep an extra watch on them.
ReplyDeleteI believe Peliroo is Cole? So to Cole..
ReplyDeleteDo you think that Mr. Stapleton's willingness to tell Watson about the Moor may make Watson logically less suspicious of him. So if he wants to be less suspicious he will pretend to build that trust with Watson. However I think that should make Watson more suspicious of him. Since mysteries are all about trust and firmly believing everything they are hearing, Mr. Stapleton is trying to get Watson to trust him so that he wont suspect him.
Personally, I believe that Mr. Barrymore and Mr. Stapleton are in on the murders together. They both demonstrate suspicious acts that would logically make them suspects. Mr. Barrymore’s, supposedly being "in the loft" when the telegram was delivered seemed to be very coincidental. I believe his wife was trying to cover his tracks because she loves him, but she is upset with his behavior and that is why she was crying in the night, which explains why Mr. Barrymore was trying to hide it. I also think it interesting that they plan on moving out of the house as soon as possible. I feel like this is more Mr. Barrymore’s idea then it is Mrs. Barrymore’s.
ReplyDeleteI also believe Mr. Stapleton is in on the crimes because of his behavior and his sister's reaction when meeting Watson. To me it seemed as though Mr. Stapleton knew too much about Holmes/Watson and was very nosey to know where they were at with the case. He also knew his way around the moor much too well. The biggest factor, though, is Beryl's reaction to meeting Watson. The fact that she so eagerly and desperately warns him away behind her brother's back seems to incriminate him immediately. I believe Holmes and Watson need to focus directly on Mr. Barrymore and Mr. Stapleton and consider trying to break down the females in their life, for more information.
In response to Carrissa....I totally agree with your idea that Mr. Stapleton is trying to hide his guiltiness by turning the attention away from him. He hoped his detail and understanding of the moor would have a reverse psychological affect. I do however don't think you can ignore the fact that Mr. Barrymore has to unexplainable lies on his shoulders. 1) The telegram being delivered into his hands. 2) His wife actually crying out in the night. Like I stated in my reasoning, I believe both are in on the crimes and that Carrissa makes a good point.
ReplyDeleteI think that both the Barrymores and the Stapletons are suspicious people that Holmes and Watson should look into more. Personally, I think that they should focus on the Stapletons. My logic for this is that the Barrymores live with them- so they are constantly together- making it easier to "check them out". The Stapletons are curious. They live in the moor, Miss Stapleton is a refined lady- she should not be in a place like this. Jack Stapleton "knows the moor better than anybody else" and he exhibits weird mannerisms to the sounds and the moor.
ReplyDeleteI think that the Stapletons have exhibited the most supsicion so far. Maybe they are covering or hiding something for the Barrymores? Ultimately, I think that the Barrymore's and the Stapleton's are in this shenanigan together.
Hello. I think the stapletons are acting waaaay suspicious. But before I give reasons, I want to first say tht the Barrymores don't seem suspicous at all to me. They seem to be acting very naturally. It might just be that the recording of the book made them sound super chill, or maybe I inferred it on my own. The whole woman screaming is the only sketch part.
ReplyDeleteNow ill say what makes the stapletons suspicious. First of all, Mrs Stapleton is a dime. Beautiful people are always up to no good. Secondly, the Mr can't stop talking about the moor, where people keep dying. He has an odd fascination with it that I think Holmes needs to pay attention to. I think he is trying to make it seem like the only way they can venture into the moor and come out alive is with him, but I think he just.wants them to believe this so that they will go into the moor with him. And then never return! He's really sketch, but the most important thing to keep in mind is Mrs stapletons lisp. And by lisp I mean her yelling and spazmastic approach to Watson. That was so strange, they need to keep an eye out on her!
When it comes to which family is more suspicious, I think that the Barrymores trump the Stapletons. While Mr. Stapleton does boast about his knowledge of the moor, it seems that it is being said in a proud fashion, and that it would be the last thing the actual killer would be admitting to. The Barrymores on the other hand have some blatant things that come across as suspicious. The fact that Mr. Barrymore lies about his wife may seem trivial, but then why would he feel the need to lie about something so small? It may not mean that they are directly related to the murder, but as far as being suspicious, it definitely is an oddity. I think that Holmes and Watson should not just focus on one of the families, but rather keep both of them on their radar. There is not enough evidence to say either of them was involved, but they should keep investigating and keeping their minds open to any possibilities.
ReplyDeleteIn Response to Alex-
ReplyDeleteI agree with everything you said. but could the way Miss Stapleton acted just be the way she is? maybe she over-heard a plot to kill Sir Henry, or she knows who killed Sir Charles and she is really just looking out for the safety of the man? Though her actions were suspicious, we will obviously find out later what her real intentions were.
@Noah - Hi. First I think Holmes needs a nice woman to run off with for a happy ending, so this could explain the "suspicious" nature of Mrs. Stapleton and her role in the story. Also, you mention that Mr. Stapleton can't stop talking about the moor; why would he do that if he was involved with the murder? I actually think that would be a natural conversation for a person in the area that keeps hearing about deaths there.
ReplyDeleteOH! and I meant that the Barrymores and Watson and Sir Henry all live together, making it easier for Holems and Watson to keep an eye on the Barrymore's behavior.
ReplyDelete@Carrissa - You said that Mr. Stapleton may have been talking about the moor to try to build up a trust with Watson, simply because that is not the thing you would expect the killer to do. But this "reverse psychology" can turn into an infinite loop. Could Mr. Stapleton be talking about the moor because he knows that Watson would would find it suspicious if he tried to leave it out and therefore he is actually innocent? Or maybe he is guilty, but he thinks that if he talks about the moor, Watson will think that he is trying to make him think that Mr. Stapleton is only trying to talk about it because he feels that it would be suspicious if he didn't! And I don't even know if that made sense. But the point is, trying to use that for evidence is like trying to provide evidence for what your opponent is going to use next in rock-paper-scissors.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, correction to my previous post. MISS stapleton, not Mrs, seeing as they are brother and sister, not husband and wife. My bad.
ReplyDeleteNow, in response to Kayla.
I never agree with you, but what you said was pretty sweet. I think u hav already solved the mystery, u seem to have analyzed deeper than everyone else and I have to say your logic is spot on. My mind has finally changed, I dont think Watson is the murderer anymore. Uve made me realize tht Mr stapleton and Mr Barrymore are in cahoots, it all makes sense.
I read the directions again and were supposed to respond to someone on the opposing side, so I guess I rrsponded to kayla for no reason.
ReplyDelete@Ryan
Hey. So you think the barrymores are more suspicious, do you? Well i disagree. I think you are basing your 'suspicion' as if you were a reader of a mystery novel and not as if you were in Holmes' shoes.
Also, do u really think Holmes wants to be tied down by a woman? Also, (saying he does) I doubt Holmes goes for the physical appearance, for him its all in the IQ.
At first i thought that the stapeltons were more suspicious but the more i though about it i decided that the barrymores seem way more suspicious. if you think about it watson is pretty positive that it was Mrs. barrymore who was crying in the middle of the night, but we don't know why. and then the next morning mr. barrymore lies and says that it could not have beeen his wife crying the night before. which makes me think that mrs. barrymore is crying because she feels guilty for what her and her husband did and mr. barrymore is trying his best to cover up her crying which shows simething is up. i aslo think the barrymores are more suspicious because we don't know for a fact that mr. barrymore was at the house for sure because the boy did not deliver the letter straight to him and he could not confrim that mr. barrymore was in fact in the house .
ReplyDeletein response to Carrissa:
ReplyDeleteyes stapelton had alot of knowledge about the moor but i think he did some research on it because he heard of all the murders and the legend. he was just curious of what was going on. and if he did it then why would he bring up all he knew about it and why would he have found watson and talked with him and asked questions about everything.
i think he wants to be a detective like Holmes.
I think the Barrymores are more suspicious. The fact that Mr. Barrymore lied about his wife crying doesnt make sense. This also says that he is comfortable lying to people's faces. He had no problem telling Watson that it was not his wife. They live at the house and therefore would have known Sir Charles lifestyle. The Stapletons are just the neighbors they may or may not have known Sir. Charles that well.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Alicia:
ReplyDeleteYes, the way Miss Stapleton acted was weird. Yet at the same time that doesn't mean that she had anything to do with the murder. She could have acted that way out of protection. Her neighbor had just been murdered, and now there are more people moving into the house that Sir Charles lived in. Jack Stapleton knows the moor because he could be a naturalist. He is amazed of what is in the moor and what lives in it.
The Barrymores are the more suspicious couple, in my opinion. We know for sure that Barrymore lied about his wife's tears in the night. There is not a reason to distrust the Stapletons as of yet.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Ryan: Yes, the Stapletons may appear suspicious. However, Mr. Stapleton has not shown any lack of honesty as Mr. Barrymore has. Also, I would not think of Mrs. Stapleton's warnings as threats, she maybe puts too much stock into superstition.
ReplyDeleteQuite frankly, i will be disappointed if either of the two turn out to be the murderers. however, Stapletons knowlegde of the moor and the souds it makes do seem more suspicious than Barrymores nightly wanderings (who hasnt needed to get up for something in the middle of the night? Maybe he has a nightly problem, or, he is simply worried for Sir Henry's safty) The arrival of the Stapletons, which coinsided with the arrival of Sir Charles, seems to be either entirely coinsidental or suspicious, I say suspicious, they are involved in some way, though how they could have gotton rid of past Baskervilles remains unknown. overall, i think the Stapletons are more suspicious but not the murderers.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Rachel:
ReplyDeleteI dont think the crying counts for anything and there may well be an entirely different reason. Suspisison of the Stapletons arises from their arrlval time, their knowledge of the moor, and the fact that they look nothing alike. i always find siblings who do not look alike to be suspicious. in mystery novels anyway.
I believe that the Stapletons are more suspicious than the Barrymores. When Watson starts questioning them, they came off as shady characters. Since Mr. Stapleton is one of the few that knows how to get in and out of the moor successfully, he could possibly be responsible for all the happenings. Mrs. Stapleton also things he is Sir Henry and tells him to go back to London without even getting to know the real reasons as to why he has made the travel. Why would she come off as so aggressive toward Watson if she was only trying to act in the best interest of Henry? I don't understand, and this is why I think they appear shady.
ReplyDeleteResponse to Ryan: I agree with everything you said. As I was reading, these were the exact thoughts going through my mind. Why would you act so quickly to get rid of someone if you didn't even know them or take time to listen to the reason as to why they traveled to where they did? This was the number one clue that set me off with the suspicion that they had something to do with it.