I choose this image of Sherlock Holmes because it showcases Sherlock Holmes as a person even when he is not looking for clues he is still tentative and determined to solve cases. I also choose this photo of Sherlock Holmes because he has Watson in it and often when a person here’s the name Sherlock Holmes they think of his partner Watson as well. The image also shows how Sherlock could be describing a new lead or case to Watson as they are on the train on their way to a destination and Watson is listening to Sherlock tell the story about the case. When I think of a detective I think of someone in a nice uniform, with a badge, constantly looking for clues and who is a person that is not afraid to think of wild theories as to what could of happened or even think of places of where to look. Sherlock Holmes continues to play a significant role in popular culture because he is what started the trend of detectives and making detectives cool and interesting instead of boring.

Irene Adler fascinates Sherlock Holmes because she uses his detective skills and wit against him in a way that he does not see coming. It is clear to Holmes that she is unlike any other woman he has come across or unlike a Madonna of that time nor was a Whore either but Irene Adler was more true to herself. There is more of an attraction than romance between Sherlock and Irene because he does intrigue her in a way that makes her mysterious and makes him want to learn and know more about her, especially since she is not easily fooled by his ways. Sherlock is also fascinated that she also disguises herself when need like Sherlock himself and that is what makes him realize how much the two actually have in common and he views her as a real woman not just some girl.

The story “The Body Snatcher” was creepy because in the story the teacher Dr. K would pay for people to bring him body’s as “subjects” who happened to be students of his or random students around the campus. Dr. McFarland seemed to have no remorse for what happened to the dead body as if he were almost pleased and happy the person who might have been alive just hours ago was now dead and in his possession. Another creepy element is how Fetty at first had a guilty conscious about the bodies until later in the story he started to become immune to the situation and went along with it instead of being uninvolved. Stevenson becomes descriptive as the scene is taking place to build the suspense. He uses darkness and rain to create fear by subtly using imagery to play off the characters fears and vulnerability deep within them.

In the photo of “Hastings from the beach” 1864, I notice that the land is mainly dirt and that the women are not actually in the water. There are tall buildings in the background that look like hotels and it looks like no one really goes to the beach and it is mainly abandoned. As for the women’s attire, I notice that they are all dressed the same in a long white dress covered with a long black coat and their hair is pulled back underneath a handmade hat. The photo looks like it might have been taken maybe sometime in the winter because in the picture the weather looks like it could be cold or muggy out, hence the women in long clothes instead of shorter dresses and the dirt appears to have moisture. Also because all the women are sitting or standing within the dirt area overlooking the water instead of at least one them being seen in the water. The women might have gone swimming in the dresses they have on in the picture as the dresses could be some type of dress to swim in or “bath” in for when they go the beach and the hat could protect their hair from getting wet.

The story Rikki-Tikki addresses imperialism in British culture through the British Empires territories through the characters, Rikki-Tikk the mongoose, The snakes Nag and Nagaina, The bird Darzee, and the Man as he the human is called. Rikki-Tikki- and the snakes Nag and Nagaina are enemies because Nag and Nagaina who seek to hold power as queen and king of their Bungalow but when Rikki-Tikki comes along he refuses to let them overpower him through their dictatorship tactics even if that means death. Nag and Nagaina feel territorial over the bungalow much like the British were over their empires because Rikki-Tikki sees they must be stopped especially when Nag is killing innocent animals who are merely trying to live. Rikki-Tikki feels that he needs to protect the man with the stick and those who are defenseless because if he does not Nag and Nagaina will take over the bungalow and continue their dominate ways.

Some of the most popular “freak show” attractions during the Victorian era were acts such as Joseph Merrick who was known as the “Elephant Man” or Mary Anne Bevan who was called the “World’s Ugliest Woman” along with “giants” and very short people. Some of the elements we still have today that mirror the Victorian pop culture is still judging people who may not meet society’s idea of “beauty” standards but then profit off that said person to make a quick buck at that person’s expense when all the person wants to do is feel accepted. Also, people still to this day, often stare at someone with a disability and although they are not put on display for an audience to see like the Victorians did, people still stare and do not see past their disability.

The actual text of “The Mad Tea Party” contrasted with what I thought the story was about in the way the story was told, in Lewis Carroll’s version, the story starts at the tea party and Alice along with the Mad Hatter, the Hare, and Dormouse are at the table talking about intellectual topics rather than it being solely about Alice and why and how she fell down the rabbit hole and ended up at the tea party. My perceptions of what I also thought contrasted with the text because of the way each character was portrayed as well, each animal such as the Match Hater did not care for Alice’s opinions and it seemed to be male driven like they did not respect her. Also the names of the characters other than Alice were different and they spoke more in the actual text than the version that’s more common. What surprised me about the author’s work is the tea party itself and how it was not just a tea party but held a deeper meaning that was portrayed through each character.

Some underlying meanings that might be found in Carroll’s “Walrus and the Carpenter” is about pollution because at the beginning of the poem the Carpenter and Walrus walk up to a beach hand in hand only the sand is covered by possibly items from the ocean and they wished maids would come clean the beach up because they are forced to live in unpleasant conditions. I do think there is a warning because it shows how little people care about beaches and also how people have seemed to forgotten the Carpenter because he has not been rescued from the island. The Carpenter might indicate a once well off man turned homeless who somehow ended up lost a sea where he found an abandoned island. The Walrus could represent a figment of the Carpenter’s imagination because he is lonely and wishes he had someone to talk to and food to eat because he’s stranded with no food or way off the island.

The poem, “Goblin Market” by Christina Rossetti might relate to modern life by addressing the issues like prostitution and homelessness as seen through the Goblins. In the poem the Goblin men were seen as non-human creatures who feened after young girls for their pure satisfaction and a quick dollar. The fruit in the 21st century could symbolize temptation or a religious aspect like how Lizzie warned her sister Laura not to listen to the Goblin men and eat the different fruits or she could end up like the last girl who ate the fruits. The fruit could also symbolize the loss of innocence and how when Laura ate the fruit she was no longer herself or a young girl because she was buying what the Goblin men were selling. I definitely think this poem has a deeper meaning to the Victorians because I think it addressed issues going on at the time that maybe people did not talk about or that was not in the newspapers.

Life as a domestic servant during the Victorian era seemed to be less harsher conditions than the lower class and the people who were middle class were more accepted into the workforce verses someone of a lower status. I think I would have handled the lifestyle well if that meant I could rent a cottage at a cheap price but I think there would be fear in the back my mind as it was for some middle class people that money would become tight and not enough to live off of. Also, I would not handle not being able to retire at a certain age very well because during that time people who were domestic servants were not allowed to retire until they were dead. I do not think it would be something I would like to do simply because as a domestic servant they did not have any type of freedoms or say in their job, and they had to be indebted into it or they had nothing.