Essay Questions

What are some of the various forms of prejudice which feature in “The Adventure of the Yellow Face”?

The most obvious form of prejudice is that of racial prejudice, or racism, which Effie fears from the community, and most notably, her husband. Effie’s fear of racism is the underlying motive for the concealment of her daughter behind the yellow mask. Ironically, this fear leads Effie into a form of prejudice against her husband, assuming the worst about him despite his apparent noble character. Holmes himself exhibits prejudice of facts by jumping to conclusions based on erroneous deductions.

How can the “yellow face”, which features heavily in the story, be seen as a red herring?

The yellow face gives Mr. Munro an impression of something unnatural and inhuman. The face is set and rigid. This makes Holmes believe that the person with the yellow face must be Effie's first husband, who may have contracted some loathsome disease like leprosy, because of the unnatural hue of the face.

The reader, like Holmes, cannot help but notice the connection between Effie’s late husband's “yellow fever”, and the distorted face in the window. The reader inaccurately surmises that the face in the window is Effie’s former husband, “returned from the grave” in a sense to blackmail her. The description of the face, with its unnatural hue and rigidity of features, leads one to believe it belongs to some odious creature who holds some power over Effie.

What is the significance of Holmes’ whispered comment to Watson at the end of the story?

Holmes himself is often very sure of himself and his abilities, and usually has no patience with people who are not as quick as him. even in this same story, when Watson asks him if he has any theory, he says,“Yes, a provisional one. But I shall be surprised if it does not turn out to be correct. This woman’s first husband is in that cottage.” So it turns out as a surprise for even himself when the yellow face turns out to be the daughter in a mask, in contrast to his erroneous theory of a husband with leprosy.

Holmes is often depicted as the ultimate thinking machine, incapable of error. The reader may draw some small satisfaction in finding that even Holmes is capable of human mistakes, and further that he is humble enough to admit to it. The deeper message to Holmes’ comment is that we all are capable of mistaken judgment, or prejudice, and must be willing to own up to our faults.