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This blog on NCERT solutions for Class 11 Woven Words Chapter 4: The Adventure of the Three Garridebs provides clear and simple answers to the questions. It helps students to understand the themes, characters and plot of this short story. These solutions help in the exam revision by highlighting the emotional and intellectual depth of the narrative. You can also download the free PDF for quick revision.
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NCERT Solutions Class 11 English Woven Words Chapter 4: The Adventure of the Three Garridebs
Here are the NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Woven Words Chapter 4: The Adventure of the Three Garridebs, designed to support effective revision and understanding of the story’s themes and characters.
UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT
1. What clues did Sherlock Holmes work upon to get at the fact that the story of the three Garridebs was a ruse?
Solution: Sherlock Holmes unravelled the ruse of the three Garridebs through several key clues. First, he noticed inconsistencies in John Garrideb’s appearance: despite claiming to be a recent arrival from America, his coat and trousers were distinctly English, frayed and worn, suggesting prolonged residence in London. Second, Holmes observed that no advertisements for Garridebs appeared in the agony columns, which he regularly monitored, contradicting John’s claim of having advertised. Third, the Birmingham advertisement for the third Garrideb contained Americanisms like “plough” (misspelt), “buckboards,” and “artesian wells,” indicating it was crafted by an American, likely John himself, rather than an English firm. Finally, Holmes’s investigation revealed John’s true identity as “Killer” Evans, a criminal, and his inquiries with Scotland Yard confirmed no record of Dr. Lysander Starr, a supposed acquaintance John mentioned, exposing the fabricated backstory.
2. What was John Garrideb’s objective in inventing the story of Alexander Hamilton Garrideb and his legacy?
Solution: John Garrideb, alias “Killer” Evans, invented the story of Alexander Hamilton Garrideb’s legacy to lure Nathan Garrideb away from his room at 136 Little Ryder Street. His objective was to access a hidden counterfeiting press left by his former accomplice, Rodger Presbury, located in a secret trapdoor in Nathan’s room. By creating the fictitious will promising five million dollars to three Garridebs, Evans manipulated Nathan’s desire for wealth to convince him to travel to Birmingham to meet a supposed third Garrideb, thus clearing the way for Evans to retrieve the counterfeiting equipment undisturbed.
3. Why didn’t John Garrideb like the idea of including Holmes in the hunt for the third Garrideb?
Solution: John Garrideb, alias “Killer” Evans, disliked involving Sherlock Holmes because he feared Holmes’s renowned detective skills would uncover his fraudulent scheme. Evans intended the Garrideb legacy to be a private matter between himself and Nathan, allowing him to manipulate Nathan without scrutiny. When he learned Nathan had consulted Holmes, Evans was angry, as he saw it as an unnecessary complication that risked exposing his true identity and criminal intent. His reluctance stemmed from knowing Holmes’s reputation for solving complex cases, which could jeopardise his plan to access the counterfeiting press.
4. Who was Roger Presbury and how was John Garrideb connected with him?
Solution: Rodger Presbury was a notorious American criminal, known as a forger and coiner, who was shot and killed by John Garrideb (alias “Killer” Evans) in a 1895 card game dispute in London. Presbury had lived in the same room at 136 Little Ryder Street, now occupied by Nathan Garrideb, where he hid a counterfeiting press. Evans, as Presbury’s former accomplice, was the only one aware of the press’s location. His connection to Presbury drove his scheme to invent the Garrideb legacy, aiming to clear Nathan from the room to retrieve the valuable counterfeiting equipment.
5. How did Holmes guess that John Garrideb would go to 136, Little Ryder Street? Did he expect to find what he ultimately did before he went there?
Solution: Holmes deduced that John Garrideb (Evans) would go to 136 Little Ryder Street because his elaborate scheme to send Nathan to Birmingham suggested a motive to access Nathan’s room when unoccupied. Holmes suspected the room held something valuable to Evans, as Nathan rarely left it due to his obsession with his collection. Holmes’s inquiries revealed the room’s previous tenant was Waldron, identified by Scotland Yard as Presbury, whom Evans had killed. This connection led Holmes to hypothesize that Evans sought something hidden in the room, likely related to Presbury’s criminal activities. While Holmes anticipated a “guilty secret” in the room, he initially considered that Nathan’s collection might contain a valuable item. However, the discovery of Presbury’s counterfeiting press was a deeper revelation, confirming Holmes’s suspicion of a significant criminal motive, though the exact nature of the find was unexpected.
TALKING ABOUT THE TEXT
Discuss the following in pairs or in small groups
1. ‘It was worth a wound, it was worth many wounds, to know the depth of loyalty and love that lay behind that cold mask’, how does this comment throw light on the kind of relationship between Holmes and Watson?
Solution: This comment by Watson reveals the profound loyalty and deep bond between him and Sherlock Holmes, typically masked by Holmes’s reserved, analytical demeanour. When Evans shoots Watson, grazing his thigh, Holmes’s immediate concern, his “dimmed” eyes and trembling lips, exposes a rare emotional vulnerability, showing his deep care for Watson. This moment underscores their relationship as one of mutual trust and devotion, with Watson’s steadfast support complementing Holmes’s brilliance. Despite Holmes’s usual “cold mask” of detachment, the incident highlights his unspoken love, making the wound a poignant revelation of their enduring friendship. In groups, students can discuss how this emotional glimpse contrasts with Holmes’s usual rationality and strengthens their partnership.
2. The cleverest of criminals leave behind clues to their crime.
Solution: The story illustrates that even the cleverest criminals, like “Killer” Evans, leave clues that betray their schemes. Evans’s carefully crafted Garrideb ruse is undone by subtle oversights: his English attire contradicting his American backstory, the absence of agony column advertisements, and the Americanisms in the Birmingham ad. These clues, though minor, are detected by Holmes’s keen observation, proving that no criminal can entirely erase traces of their deception. This theme emphasises the inevitability of justice when faced with meticulous investigation. In groups, students can explore how these clues reflect Evans’s underestimation of Holmes and discuss real-life parallels where small details lead to solving crimes.
3. How did Holmes’ digressions sometimes prove in the end to have a bearing on the matter on hand? Discuss this with reference to all the apparently irrelevant points he was trying to gather information from.
Solution: Holmes’s seemingly irrelevant digressions are strategic, gathering critical information that unravels the case. His inquiry about John Garrideb’s English attire, despite John’s claim of recent arrival, reveals his prolonged stay in London, hinting at a false backstory. Asking about Dr. Lysander Starr, a supposed Topeka contact, exposes John’s lie when Holmes confirms no such person exists. His question about Nathan’s house agent and the building’s history uncovers that Presbury, Evans’s victim, previously occupied Nathan’s room, linking it to the counterfeiting press. These digressions, though appearing trivial, systematically build Holmes’s understanding of Evans’s true identity and motive. In groups, students can discuss how these inquiries showcase Holmes’s methodical approach and how seemingly unrelated details can solve complex mysteries.
Also Read: NCERT Solutions Class 11 English Hornbill Chapter 1: The Portrait of a Lady (Free PDF)
APPRECIATION
1. Examine the structure of the short story ‘Adventure of the Three Garridebs’ with the help of this framework: The narrator of the story, Introduction of the topic of the story, Introduction of the main characters in the plot, Development of the plot, Climax, Resolution of the mystery.
Solution: The structure of ‘The Adventure of the Three Garridebs’ is meticulously crafted to build suspense and deliver a satisfying resolution:
- Narrator of the Story: Dr. John Watson narrates, providing a reliable and relatable perspective that grounds Holmes’s brilliance and adds emotional depth, particularly in the climactic moment of his injury.
- Introduction of the Topic of the Story: The story opens with Watson reflecting on its comedic and tragic elements, introducing the peculiar Garrideb case in June 1902, sparked by Holmes’s mention of a chance to make money by finding a Garrideb.
- Introduction of the Main Characters in the Plot: Holmes and Watson are introduced as the detective duo, followed by John Garrideb, a chubby American lawyer, and Nathan Garrideb, an eccentric collector, with hints of a third Garrideb in Birmingham.
- Development of the Plot: Holmes grows suspicious of John’s story about a five-million-dollar legacy, uncovering inconsistencies through inquiries and Scotland Yard records, identifying John as “Killer” Evans. He learns the room’s connection to Rodger Presbury, suggesting a hidden motive.
- Climax: The climax occurs when Holmes and Watson catch Evans in Nathan’s room, uncovering a trapdoor with a counterfeiting press. Evans shoots Watson, grazing his thigh, prompting Holmes’s emotional reaction and subduing Evans.
- Resolution of the Mystery: Evans confesses his scheme to access Presbury’s counterfeiting press, is arrested, and the equipment is seized. Nathan suffers a mental breakdown, and the story concludes with justice served, highlighting Holmes and Watson’s loyalty.
2. Examine the subtle humour in the narration of the story that lightens the gravity of the subject matter.
Solution: The narration of ‘The Adventure of the Three Garridebs’ incorporates subtle humour to balance its serious themes of deception and crime. Watson’s opening remark about the story being a mix of comedy and tragedy sets a light tone, hinting at the absurdity of the Garrideb ruse. Holmes’s playful comment about Watson making money by finding a Garrideb and his “twinkle of amusement” introduce a whimsical element. The exaggerated oddity of Nathan’s museum-like room, filled with eclectic items like Neanderthal skulls and a Japanese vase, adds a humorous quirkiness to his character. Holmes’s teasing digression about John’s English attire, met with John’s flustered response, injects dry wit. These humorous touches, woven into Watson’s earnest narration, lighten the gravity of Evans’s criminality and Nathan’s tragic breakdown, making the story engaging while preserving its suspenseful core.
Download NCERT Solutions Class 11 English Woven Words Chapter 4: The Adventure of the Three Garridebs
You can download the free PDF of NCERT Solutions Class 11 English Woven Words Chapter 4: The Adventure of the Three Garridebs for effective revision.
Download more NCERT Solutions of Class 11 English ‘Woven Words’ here!
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| Chapter 2: A Pair of Mustachios Solutions |
| Chapter 3: The Rocking-horse Winner Solution |
| Chapter 5: Pappachi’s Moth Solution |
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