The Sign of the Four: Plot Summary (AQA GCSE English Literature): Revision Note

Plot Summary

One of the most vital and helpful things you can do in preparation for the exam is to ‘know’ the plot of The Sign of the Four thoroughly. Once you know the text well, you should be comfortable and familiar with key events that you can then link to larger ideas. Having an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the text will help you to gain confidence to find the most relevant references to support your response.

Below you will find:

• a storyboard of the plot

• a general overview of the whole novel

• detailed summaries by chapter

Sign of Four: Plot storyboard

Overview of Sign of Four

The Sign of the Four is a detective novella written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and was published in 1890. 

The novella begins with Dr Watson recounting his life after leaving the army and his chance encounter with Holmes. Their latest case involves Mary Morstan, a young woman who seeks their help in unravelling the mystery surrounding her father's disappearance.

Mary's father, Captain Arthur Morstan, had vanished ten years earlier under puzzling circumstances. Every year since his disappearance, Mary has received a single pearl in the post, along with a note that serves as a yearly reminder of the unresolved mystery. This year, however, the note took an alarming turn, urging Mary to meet Holmes and Watson to uncover the truth about her father's fate.

Intrigued by the case, Holmes carefully examines the note, deducing details about the writer's character and intentions. His astute observations reveal that the author of the note is intimately familiar with Mary's situation and holds significant knowledge about her father's disappearance. As they delve deeper into the case, Holmes and Watson become aware of a wooden-legged man who seems to be watching Mary's residence, which adds a sense of danger and urgency to their investigation.

The investigation leads Holmes and Watson to the Sholto family, particularly Major Sholto, a close friend of Captain Morstan. They discover that Major Sholto had passed away six years ago, leaving behind twin sons, Thaddeus and Bartholomew, who inherited a substantial fortune. Recently, Bartholomew had also met a mysterious and untimely demise. Holmes suspects a connection between the Sholto family and Captain Morstan's disappearance.

As Holmes unravels the case further, a complex web of secrets, betrayal and hidden treasure emerges. He learns that Captain Morstan and Major Sholto were part of a military expedition in India that discovered a vast treasure known as the Agra treasure. The treasure, consisting of precious jewels and gold, was divided among the four individuals involved in the expedition, including Captain Morstan and Major Sholto. However, greed and treachery disrupted the initial agreement, resulting in Captain Morstan's disappearance and the ensuing events.

The pursuit of truth takes Holmes, Watson and Mary on a perilous journey, encountering a cast of characters associated with the case. Among them is Jonathan Small, a member of the ill-fated military expedition and a key figure who possesses crucial information about the treasure. Holmes’ exceptional deductive skills, combined with Watson's unwavering support and bravery, ultimately lead them to the hidden location of the Agra treasure in London, which Small had moved during his escape.

In a dramatic climax, Holmes confronts Jonathan Small and his accomplice, Tonga. Small is the wooden-legged man seen near Mary’s residence. A tense standoff ensues, testing Holmes’ wits and Watson's courage. Through their collective efforts, they manage to apprehend the culprits, They retrieve the treasure box — only to discover it is empty — and unveil the truth behind Captain Morstan's disappearance.

Sign of Four: Chapter-by-chapter plot summary

Chapter 1: The Science of Deduction 

• In his Baker Street apartment, Sherlock Holmes injects himself with cocaine while Dr Watson expresses concern about Holmes' drug use

• Holmes justifies it, stating that his mind rebels at stagnation and he seeks mental stimulation

• They discuss one of Holmes' recent cases

• When Watson asks about the distinction between observation and deduction, Holmes provides an example

• Mary Morstan arrives at the apartment, interrupting their conversation 

Chapter 2: The Statement of the Case 

• Holmes and Watson listen to Mary Morstan's account of her father's disappearance

• She provides details about her father's career in India and how he vanished after returning to England

• She also explains the strange letters she has been receiving and shows them to Holmes

• Mary agrees to return later, and together with Holmes and Watson,  they plan to meet her mysterious benefactor

• Holmes departs to gather information about the case, leaving Watson to ponder Mary's situation

Chapter 3: In Quest of a Solution 

• Holmes initiates some preliminary deductions, uncovering the involvement of the Sholto family in the case

• Holmes, Mary and Watson travel to the Lyceum Theatre

• They learn that Sholto's father and Mary's father were both involved in the Agra Treasure, a significant event in India

• Led by a man, Holmes, Watson and Mary arrive at Thaddeus Sholto’s house, and a servant shows them in

Chapter 4: The Story of the Bald-headed Man 

• Holmes, Mary and Watson enter Thaddeus Sholto’s unassuming house in Norwood, which houses a wealth of Indian treasures

• Sholto discloses the existence of the Agra treasure, attributing its acquisition to Major Sholto (Thaddeus’ father) and Captain Morstan (Mary’s father) during their time in India

• The death of Captain Morstan is confirmed after a disagreement with Major Sholto

• Major Sholto had recently passed away due to a heart attack, triggered by the sighting of a bearded man at the window

• Bartholomew, Thaddeus’ brother, has successfully located the hidden  treasure

• Consequently, Thaddeus and Mary proceed to Pondicherry Lodge to claim their portion of the treasure

Chapter 5: The Tragedy of Pondicherry Lodge 

• Holmes, Mary, Watson and Thaddeus Sholto journey to Pondicherry Lodge to engage with Bartholomew and secure a portion of the treasure

• Discovering Bartholomew, the characters encounter a grim scene: he has succumbed to a fatal blow from a poisoned dart, his face twisted in a horrifying manner

• The treasure is missing, prompting Holmes to dispatch a frightened Thaddeus to summon the police

Chapter 6: Sherlock Holmes Gives a Demonstration 

• Holmes illustrates the sequence of events leading to Bartholomew's murder

• He concludes that two individuals, one with a wooden leg and another of diminutive stature, were involved in the killing

• Athelney Jones appears and apprehends Thaddeus and other residents of the house, differing with Holmes on every point

• The discovery of a footprint attributed to the smaller individual prompts Holmes to instruct Watson to procure a dog, Toby,  for tracking the killer

Chapter 7: The Episode of the Barrel 

• Dr Watson escorts Miss Morstan back to her home 

• Upon reaching Mrs Cecil Forrester's house, Watson is introduced to Mrs Forrester, a friend of Miss Morstan

• Watson explains the importance of his ongoing investigation to Mrs Forrester and promises to report any progress

• Later, Watson visits Pinchin Lane to seek the help of Mr Sherman, who has a collection of dogs

• With Toby, a dog with a keen sense of smell, now on their team, they follow the trail of creosote scent through the gas-lit streets of London

• The pursuit leads them to Toby's discovery of a split barrel soaked in creosote at Broderick and Nelson's timber-yard

• The chapter concludes with Holmes and Watson bursting into laughter at the unexpected and comical turn of events

Chapter 8: The Baker Street Irregulars 

• Holmes and Watson, accompanied by Toby,  backtrack to the point where the dog got confused,  leading them to a boatyard by the river

• Holmes converses with a woman nearby, learning that Smith has taken his steam launch, the Aurora, hired by a man with a wooden leg

• Holmes sends a telegram to the Baker Street Irregulars to locate the Aurora across London docks

• The Baker Street Irregulars arrive and Holmes tasks them with finding the Aurora in exchange for payment

• Consulting a book, Holmes identifies the accomplice as potentially from the Andaman Islands, known for small, fierce people

Chapter 9: A Break in the Chain 

• The next morning, Holmes decides to search for the Aurora down the river

• Athelney Jones visits the apartment seeking Holmes

• Jones shares a telegram from Holmes, claiming progress in the case and summoning him to the Baker Street apartment

• An old man arrives, claiming knowledge of the Aurora, criminals and Agra treasure

• Holmes unexpectedly reveals himself, blocking the old man from leaving

• Holmes negotiates with Jones and arranges to meet Holmes at seven P. M. by the Westminster Stairs with a police-boat

• Holmes insists on questioning Jonathan Small alone and designates Watson to deliver the treasure to Miss Morstan

• Jones accepts these terms and is invited to join Holmes and Watson for dinner

Chapter 10: The End of the Islander 

• Holmes, Watson and Jones share a pleasant dinner before embarking on a police boat to find the Aurora

• Holmes deduces Small's escape plan, leading them to a shipyard where the Aurora is hidden

• With the help of the Baker Street Irregulars, they track the ship

• Pursuing the Aurora on the river, they encounter resistance from a wooden-legged man on board

• As they close in, they discover a menacing figure (later identified as Tonga) on deck

• A confrontation ensues, and in self-defense,  Holmes and Watson shoot Tonga,  causing him to fall into the water

• The Aurora eventually runs aground in a desolate area

• Holmes captures Jonathan Small, retrieves the (empty) treasure box and narrowly avoids a poisoned dart

Chapter 11: The Great Agra Treasure 

• Holmes converses with Jonathan Small on the police boat, seeking an honest account

• Small denies involvement in Bartholomew's death, blaming it on Tonga

• Small laments his unfortunate life and curses the Agra treasure

• Jones informs them of Mordecai Smith's claim of innocence

• Small reveals the treasure's key is at the bottom of the river

• Watson takes the treasure box to Miss Morstan but they find the box empty

• Watson confesses his love and they embrace

Chapter 12: The Strange Story of Jonathan Small 

• Holmes conducts an interview with Jonathan Small, elucidating missing elements in the narrative

• Jonathan Small discloses that he, along with others pilfered the treasure in India 

• After the discovery of the body, Jonathan Small and the other members of the 'Four' were sent to prison in the Andaman Islands

• Jonathan Small convinced Major Sholto and Captain Morstan to assist in his liberation

• However,  Sholto double-crossed them, claiming the treasure for himself

• With the aid of Tonga, Jonathan Small managed to escape

• Small’s story concludes

• Holmes mentions the lingering presence of the cocaine bottle and reaches out to grab it

Sources

Doyle, Arthur Conan. “The Sign of the Four.” Project Gutenberg. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/2097/2097-h/2097-h.htm.