Genre
Murder mystery
Setting and Context
1894, London
Narrator and Point of View
John Watson
Tone and Mood
Suspenseful
Protagonist and Antagonist
Protagonist is Sherlock Holmes with Lieutenant Sebastian Moran as antagonist
Major Conflict
Major conflict is that no one can know that Holmes survived the face-off with Moriarity.
Climax
The maximum tension arrives as Holmes and Watson witness Moran setting up a rifle to assassinate Holmes through his bedroom window.
Foreshadowing
Foreshadowing is created through multiple clues left by the characters in the stories. For example, in the Dancing Men, Holmes deduces that the dancing men thought to be drawn as a prank are a way to send encrypted messages.
Understatement
As a character, Holmes possesses remarkable logical and analytic powers which are repeatedly underplayed or underestimated by the other individuals in the stories.
Allusions
There are many allusions to the novelties in early twentieth century, like the long-range rifle used to assassinate a man without creating a crime scene and thus, leaving no clue.
Imagery
In 'The Adventure of the Solitary Cyclist', the imagery of Violet Smith riding her bicycle alone and then being followed by a mysterious but menacing figure creates a sense of foreboding
Paradox
Holmes lets go of the woman who is responsible for the murder of Milverton in' The Adventure of Charles Augustus Milverton', as he feels a conflict with his conscious. This is paradoxical in nature for him.
Parallelism
There is a certain parallel between the stories of Solitary Cyclist and the Copper Beeches. Both have young unmarried women who seem to be in danger in mysterious circumstances.
Metonymy and Synecdoche
N/A
Personification
The Six Napoleons denote the three busts of Napoleon and thus create a personification of the statues.