While we're discussing ?1, I think it's worth bringing to people's attention that the book has been rereleased twice by Little, Brown & Co. with new covers; the first of which was stated by its designer to be "more commercial" but which LB literally didn't promote at all, and the second of which was described as "new packaging" and which leaves the title off. Neither act was repeated for subsequent titles. So it's not just my word for it that ?1's cover was not a sales winner; nor, indeed, would I say it's just my word for it that LB had absolutely no idea what to do with this series.
2015 Edition:
2017 Edition:
For the Snicket art competition that happened a few years back; I tried to map out Stain'd by the Sea, however this was before ?3 and ?4; so the map does not include the rail lines that run through the town or the high school. I will try to post it and update it at some point.
I think I've made the odd attempt at this, too; we get quite a bit of detail on how some locations relate to one another, though the generality is quite vague, perhaps deliberately. As I note in my own write-up, it's not even clear whether or not Stain'd-by-the-Sea is on an island or not.
Or perhaps you meant the covers are consistent with each other in contrast to the interior illustrations, in which case, I agree.
More this. I do think there was an active attempt to include greater detail in succeeding covers, but there remain heavily stylised, perhaps over-simplified points; I would point to Ellington's silhouette on ?3's cover having rabbit-ear plaits and no bag - or the top-right panel on ?4's cover, which is more successful. Actually, in general I find the back covers preferable to the front, strangely enough.
Oh, I forgot, though. The ?1 and ?2 cover also include a few spots of yellow; very subtle, but still, make that five-tone.
It's essentially spelled out in the final pages of ?4 - though I'm developing an alternative theory.
I think this was in my notes, but in ?3, the one time Lemony does ask the question, it's actually spelled out rather than left unstated; and only left unstated in the mouths of other characters. I also believe that, when he asks it in ?3, it's actually the right question. But we will see. So far, in my rereading of ?1, the question has only been asked once, and by Ellington. I know when he does finally ask it, and I'm not convinced that it in the context of Snicket asking it there it really constitutes a major point of the book. I'm coming to think that the fact of Snicket asking the eponymous questions is something of a red herring in terms of considering why they are the title; they're the title not just because it's a question he asks, not even because it's the most important question, but more because it's representative of the book as a whole. ?1 is full of unexpected and surprising arrivals. ?2's title is not just about Cleo, but about Ellington and Kit as well. ?3's question addresses the disrupted normality of the characters' lives.
Only clumsy, and clumsy is interesting.
It is a fair point that we are not the target audience, and it is an equally fair point that not everyone agreed with me about Armstrong Feint, even after the point in ?2 at which I thought it was glaringly obvious. But I still think it would have been interesting to have actual red herrings; and I'll talk about a missed opportunity in this regard tomorrow.
...I think it’s a good example of how the motifs of the Snicketverse reappear unexpectedly.
This I agree with wholeheartedly.
-~< #o#
Chapter Six““This person,” she said, “who is interested in the Bombinating Beast—do they live here in Stain’d-by-the-Sea?” “Yes,” I said, incorrectly.” (p. 108) Well, Hangfire surely does
now, but I suppose the gist of this is that the villain is an outsider rather than a known resident of the town. Another smoking gun in Armstrong Feint’s lap; there really was never any competition, was there?
“It was addressed to Moxie’s father, sent from a town I’d never heard of.” (p. 108) Please see my note to page 139.
If the Stain’d-by-the-Sea telegram dispatch hadn’t closed so soon after Hangfire’s telegram (pp. 109-110), ATWQ wouldn’t have happened – though I suppose very many terrible things would have happened instead.
“My father said he was going to go to the market today, but he never got out of his robe.” (p. 111) Please see my note to page 48.
“Why does someone want a statue everyone else has forgotten?” (p. 113) This continues to be an interesting question, not for the question itself but for the fact of the statue having been
forgotten. Exactly how did Hangfire know about the statue? We can be reasonably certain that he had a presence in Stain’d-by-the-Sea some years ago, when the Inhumane Society attacked Colonel Colophon, so he would have known about the monster in general – but the statue is a different matter; it wasn’t even discussed in
Stain’d Myths. I’m not sure we ever answer this question.
“There’s not usually an alarm at this hour” “For a while it seemed like it was ringing less and less frequently, but lately it’s started up again like gangbusters.” (p. 115) The alarm is being rung now because Hangfire is preparing to be abroad and active, although since the all-clear is rung before midnight then evidently it isn’t just for the theft operation, but more likely for him to make his way to the Sallis Mansion undetected. It’s interesting that there was a period where the bell was being rung less. What I take away from this is that the alarm did have a legitimate purpose which was winding down, but then the Inhumane Society stepped in. Thinking about it, in retrospect this makes it quite clear that Hangfire has accomplices working alongside him, something that wasn’t otherwise clear until ?2.
The name “Offshore Island” (p. 115) may or may not suggest that Stain’d-by-the-Sea is part of the mainland. The first point is that they have to specify that it’s offshore; but the second is that they have to specify which island it is.
“Back then the bell was rung by the student valedictorian, but the Wade Academy closed some time ago. Now the bell is rung by someone from the Coast Guard, I think, or maybe it’s the Octopus Council.” (p. 115) The Wade connection is another indication that the alarm once had a legitimate purpose; but the Coast Guard and Octopus Council, in their present incarnations, are likely just Inhumane Society front organisations.
“Where did you hear about salt lung?” “Some society put out a pamphlet” (p. 116) A society, eh? Would the Inhumane Society have used its name openly these days? Unlikely, but the previous page indicates that they do have front organisations (as we’ll also see later in the series).
Chapter SevenThe sequence of the “shadow” passage implies that Ellington was already up the tree on a ladder when Snicket landed, which is unlikely. (pp. 129-130)
Ellington’s “washerwoman” story about Handkerchief Heights, which we subsequently learn was very probably a fabrication, was likely concocted to give the impression that she was a more legitimate occupant of the cottage than she appears; though the attempt doesn’t last. Maybe she’s just a compulsive liar? (p. 132)
Some of the items in Ellington’s suitcase, like the “long, fancy evening gown” and “red wig”, seem like they might have been placed for possible use in later books, though I don’t believe they are ultimately employed; the “two small hats I’d seen on the heads of Frenchmen in old photographs” “both the color of a raspberry” (p. 133) will appear in ?2, at least.
“There were no books in the room as far as I could see. I should have known better.” (p. 134)
Page 136 provides everything we need to know to infer the true function of the Bombinating Beast, and if I’d known anything about the structure of a kazoo or been informed that the slit was cut horizontally, I might have caught it.
Antenora correctly understood the truth. I understood why it would be the truth, but didn’t think it would actually happen.
“Somebody took him—some terrible man. My father and I lived together in Killdeer Fields, a town farther up the road a ways.” “I’ve heard of it.” (p. 139) Please see my note to page 108.
“something was going on that was bothering my father, I could tell.” (p. 139) More or less puts the lie to the “kidnap” feint.
“in the morning a man called with a fearsome voice. He introduced himself as Hangfire and told me I’d never see my father again.” (p. 139) Ellington was just supposed to let go. Hangfire didn’t anticipate that she would pursue him.
“That was six months ago.” (p. 139) This is pure speculation, but I presume Armstrong Feint originally intended to acquire the Bombinating Beast legitimately, by the mechanism of the telegram. When his request went unanswered, he took more drastic measures.
“I’ve sent countless packages to people he knew, most of whom left Killdeer Fields after the flood.” (p. 140) We don’t know for sure that the draining of the sea caused the flooding in Killdeer Fields, and we don’t even know when the draining occurred – but it’s a logical connection.
“I send photographs of my father, copies of articles he’s written, anything that might help people tell me where he is.” (p. 140) At this point, we can anticipate that Armstrong Feint (though we didn’t know his name yet) might have been a journalist or academic. What probably really rattled Hangfire was having photographs of Armstrong Feint flying around.
“If I find Hangfire, I know I’ll find my father.” (p. 140) I wonder how much she suspected, even then.
“My father never hurt anyone. He’s a kind, quiet man.” (p. 141) In the right circumstances.
The first instance of the eponymous question of this volume being asked is actually asked by Ellington; and begins the tradition of the wrong question never actually being spelt out in the text, only in the title. I seem to recall that there’s an instance in ?3 where it is spelt out; my reading is that in that context it was actually the right question. We’ll see. (p. 142)
““Right now we’re going to search the premises for this valuable statue.” “Don’t you need a warrant for that?” I asked. “This isn’t the Clusterous Forest,” the female Officer Mitchum said, gesturing behind her back. “This is Stain’d-by-the-Sea, and we are the law here.”” (p. 144) The implication is that they would need a warrant to search the Clusterous Forest; but I think the intent is more that the Mitchums don’t really understand what search warrants are for. In their jurisdiction, they can do what they want; out of their jurisdiction, it’s more troublesome.
““Young people shouldn’t be out at this hour,” Mimi Mitchum said. “The Bombinating Beast might get you.” “That’s a myth,” I said. “Ignore the bell and you’ll find out”” (p. 146) The Mitchums keep up with their folklore, but not their local news.
“Surprisingly, delivery around here is very fast.” (p. 147)
Lemony Snicket: The Unauthorized Autobiography page 204. We never fully understand what’s going on with the mail in Stain’d-by-the-Sea, but I think there will be further nods to its reliability throughout the series.
“The lobby of the Lost Arms was empty except for Prosper Lost, who was murmuring something into the telephone.” (p. 150) I wonder who he was telephoning, and what he was saying; I’d say it was Ornette, but it’s the middle of the night. It’s a shame that Prosper isn’t more of a red herring; there’s a great opportunity to set him up as one later, but the narrative flubs it.
Chapter Eight “Mrs. Sallis was not at home” “and someone had told the Officers Mitchum that we were burglars. If I’d been foolish enough to have been holding the statue, I likely would have been arrested and put on the train to prison.” (p. 153) Per page 185, we must presume that Hangfire was nearby, in the persona of the butler, to take the Bombinating Beast off the Mitchums’ hands – although this assumes that they would have taken his word for it that it was really his, or that he would return it to its rightful owner.
Why is there always someone on the phone in the Lost Arms? (pp. 67, 97, 153)
“You told me that you had the solution to the mystery of the Bombinating Beast, and to hurry down to Handkerchief Heights with my father.” (p. 162) This is interesting. Snicket believes that his enemy – not yet identified as Hangfire here – wanted to get the Mallahans out of the lighthouse, but this doesn’t follow, unless Hangfire believes either that the Bombinating Beast never left the lighthouse or that Snicket returned it. The alternative, which I like but which doesn’t necessarily follow Hangfire’s motivation in subsequent books, is that he was arranging for Dame Sally Murphy’s rescue.
“I couldn’t wake him.” (p. 162) Moxie tried to wake her father up and literally couldn’t? This seems unlikely on its own merits; but what if he’s under the influence of some sort of opiate, or if “wake” is more like “rouse”, and we consider the depression theory I proposed before? Neither seems beyond the bounds of possibility.
“If you hadn’t put that ladder there, you wouldn’t be here now, Snicket. You wouldn’t be in this mess, or this mystery, or this messy mystery, or this mysterious mess. You’d be deep in a hole in the city with a measuring tape your friend gave you, doing something else you’d promised to do instead.” (p. 165) It’s interesting that Lemony has now decided that not being able to depart with Theodora would have permitted him to do exactly what he wanted. Combined with later information, it does sound like Gifford and Ghede did want Snicket to participate in Kit’s theft, and were actively attempting to prevent Theodora from taking him. Of course, this is the reverse of what Snicket assumed to be the case. So, who’s acting against V.F.D.’s interests here?
“Handkerchief Heights is supposed to be locked up tight” (p. 163); “How do you think they broke in?” (p. 166) It’s curious that emphasis is placed here, not by Moxie but by the author, on the necessity of Ellington having broken into Handkerchief Heights, mysteriously, in order to live there.
Chapter Nine“Sometimes I imagine I will be frightened for the rest of my life because of all of the fear I put aside during my time in Stain’d-by-the-Sea.” (p. 172) This line more or less explains why Snicket’s characterisation is so different between his childhood and his adulthood; but it would fit Josephine, too.
“The door struggled to open, as if someone were on the other side, pushing back, but Moxie and I managed. There was no one on the other side, just a large rock, about the size of a good dictionary, that someone had wedged up against the door that led to the basement steps.” (p. 177) Locked-room mystery. How did Hangfire place this rock against the door on the inside, and yet still escape from the room? It is not specified if the windows were or could be latched. He must have climbed from a window and closed it from outside; if it was a window that opened inwards, he could have pulled it shut, and water pressure would have kept it shut rather than pushing it open again.
“On the far wall of the basement, I could see the top edge of a window, otherwise covered in water. I leaned down to pick up one end of the large stone. “Help me,” I said. “Everyone knows how to throw a rock through a window.”” (p. 178) Why does this basement have windows, windows which must stretch to waist-height or lower in order to have let sufficient water out for Sally Murphy to be rescued? And how were two children able to throw a rock which took both of them to lift far enough to hit a window on the far wall with enough force to break it?
“
Where is he?” “
Get out of here!” “
Get out of this house at once!” (p. 180) It is intriguing that Sally Murphy is so concerned with Hangfire’s whereabouts, and compliance with his instructions, immediately after an apparent attempted murder. This may also point to Hangfire having anticipated the rescue attempt for her; perhaps this was intended to guarantee that the Mallahans would be out of the lighthouse long enough for him to break in? After all, he left the front door open and didn’t gag her; but he did (impossibly) block the basement stairs, but perhaps that was a hint to the rescuers.
“If someone wanted to torture me until I told them a critical piece of information, all they would have to do is get my socks wet.” (p. 181) Some have interpreted this as pertaining to revealing his V.F.D. tattoo. Please see my second note to page 183.
“Now get out! I have my family to think of!” (p. 183) If we infer that Sally Murphy’s family members have also been kidnapped, this follows a trend with Ellington of Hangfire kidnapping people (or appearing to do so) in order to extract services from their relatives.
“I was tempted to take off my wet socks, and not only because they were uncomfortable. “I’m part of an organization,” I said, “that I’m sure can be of service.”” (p. 183) Please see my note to page 181.
“Sally Murphy’s eyes widened, and I could tell she was even more frightened than she had been.” (pp. 183-184) So obvious in retrospect. At the time, this was generally interpreted as indicating that Hangfire had put the wind up Sally Murphy about V.F.D.; and indeed we do learn in another volume that he has a particular hatred for the organisation, though we never find out why. But of course – Sally Murphy already knows that Snicket is a member of V.F.D. It may be that she’s taking this as indicating that he’s actually a part of the Inhumane Society.
“It was just a small wooden object—
that old thing, Moxie had called it” (p. 185) That’s what she called it on page 111, but it’s a little strange to take that reference over the original “That old gimcrack” on page 53; it almost looks like an editing error, where Handler later updated the original page 53 line to “gimcrack” but it wasn’t updated for consistency here.