FIRST IMPRESSIONS & OBSERVATION
In Kailash Chowdhury’s Jewel, how does Feluda know Tapesh is excited?
He abruptly stops yawning
Where were Holmes and Watson staying during the Cornish case?
A cottage near Poldhu Bay
What was the name of the stone found in the temple?
the blue beryl
What does Holmes first establish about the time of the incident?
It happened shortly after Mortimer left
What expression remained on Brenda’s face after death?
Horror
In The Devil’s Foot, what detail first suggests that the tragedy happened immediately after Mortimer left?
The cards were still on the table - the chairs had not been moved - the candles
How does the description of Mounts Bay create a sinister mood?
How does the description of Mounts Bay create a sinister mood?
Why does Holmes eliminate Mrs. Porter as a suspect?
She appears harmless and heard nothing; no evidence links her to the event.
Why does Feluda want to examine the lilies before Monday?
To survey the location and anticipate the criminal’s movements.
Why does Kailash refuse to keep the stone in a bank locker?
He believes separation from it brings bad luck.
Why does Holmes deliberately spill water from the watering-pot outside Tredannick Wartha?
To obtain a clearer footprint impression of Mortimer Tregennis.
What is eerie about the corridor leading to Kailash Chowdhury’s bedroom?
It is long, dark, silent, with locked rooms and the unsettling presence of the senile grandfather watching.
Why might Abanish be considered a possible suspect?
He needs money for stamps, knows about the jewel’s value, and lives in the house.
How does Holmes reject the idea of supernatural forces?
He insists on exhausting all natural explanations before accepting diabolical theories.
How does fear function differently in the two stories?
In Holmes’ case, fear literally destroys sanity.
In Feluda’s case, fear is psychological — threats, phone calls, paranoia.
What does Feluda deduce from the smooth surface of the threatening note?
It was written on the top sheet of a new pad because there was no impression from previous writing.
Why is Victoria Memorial chosen as the drop point significant?
It is public yet not heavily crowded at the south gate, allowing surveillance and potential anonymity.
What is suspicious about Mortimer’s account of seeing movement in the garden?
The night was dark and rainy; someone would have to press against the glass to be seen.
What role does handwriting analysis play in Feluda’s investigation?
He observes inconsistent lettering, indicating deliberate disguise.
What does the senile grandfather’s stare symbolize?
Suspicion, instability, and the unsettling atmosphere of hidden tensions within the house.
He knows a lot more than what we read of him.
Compare Holmes and Feluda’s first investigative reactions.
How do their personalities shape their approach?
Holmes becomes detached and analytical, immediately reconstructing timelines and movements. Feluda engages conversationally, uses observation and questioning, and studies handwriting.
Holmes isolates facts logically; Feluda blends psychology with deduction.
How do both authors use physical setting to reflect psychological tension?
Doyle uses bleak Cornish moors and dark rooms to mirror terror and mental collapse. Ray uses an old mansion, eerie corridors, and threatening phone calls to build suspense. In both, environment intensifies fear before logical explanation.
Discuss how both stories use “insiders” to create suspicion rather than strangers.
Both texts create suspicion within close circles — family members or residents. The threat in Feluda’s case comes from someone knowledgeable about the jewel. In Holmes’ case, the event happens just after Mortimer leaves. Both authors challenge the assumption that danger comes from outsiders.
Compare Holmes’ scientific reasoning with Feluda’s psychological reasoning.
Holmes focuses on physical evidence, timeline reconstruction, footprints, and environmental clues. Feluda studies behaviour, voice, writing patterns, and human motives. Holmes is clinical; Feluda blends logic with social awareness.
How do both texts explore the idea that fear can be weaponised?
In Holmes’ case, terror is so intense it causes death and madness.
In Feluda’s case, threats aim to manipulate behaviour and force surrender.
Both show fear as a psychological weapon stronger than physical violence.