A Study in Scarlet · Chapter
II: The Flower of Utah explained
This chapter details the Mormon migration to Utah, the settlement's prosperity under Brigham Young, and John Ferrier's rise to wealth.
What happens
This chapter details the Mormon migration to Utah, the settlement's prosperity under Brigham Young, and John Ferrier's rise to wealth. It focuses on Lucy Ferrier's growth into a beautiful young woman and her romance with Jefferson Hope, who must leave for two months to work mines before they can marry.
Themes in this chapter
Love and Sacrifice
Jefferson Hope and Lucy Ferrier's romantic commitment is sealed with a promise of return, highlighting love's endurance despite separation.
Class and Social Mobility
John Ferrier rises from a castaway to one of the wealthiest men in Salt Lake City through hard work and shrewd dealings.
Colonialism and Imperialism
The Mormon settlement is framed as an Anglo-Saxon conquest of the 'virgin acres' of Utah, overcoming natural and human obstacles.
Characters to notice
- John Ferrier
Adopted father of Lucy, a successful farmer who prospers in Utah but remains celibate, conforming to Mormonism otherwise.
- Lucy Ferrier
Grows up in Utah, becomes a beautiful and skilled rider; her romance with Jefferson Hope blossoms.
- Jefferson Hope
A pioneer, scout, and trapper who wins Lucy's heart and promises to return in two months to marry her.
- Brigham Young
Leader of the Mormons, depicted as a skilled administrator who maps out Salt Lake City and allocates land.
- Joseph Stangerson
An Elder whose wagon carries Lucy during the migration; later one of the principal Elders receiving large land tracts.
- Enoch J. Drebber
One of the four principal Elders who, along with Stangerson, receives a large land allotment.
Key passages
“He had been a pioneer in California, and could narrate many a strange tale of fortunes made and fortunes lost in those wild, halcyon days.”
Jefferson Hope had lived through the California Gold Rush and told exciting stories of wealth and ruin.
Establishes Hope's adventurous background and his appeal to Lucy and Ferrier.
“I am off, Lucy... I won’t ask you to come with me now, but will you be ready to come when I am here again?”
Hope tells Lucy he must leave but asks her to be prepared to marry him upon his return.
Key moment sealing their engagement and setting up the separation.
“From the shores of the Mississippi to the western slopes of the Rocky Mountains they had struggled on with a constancy almost unparalleled in history.”
The Mormons' journey from the Mississippi to the Rockies was marked by extraordinary perseverance.
Highlights the epic scale of the Mormon migration.
“In three years he was better off than his neighbours, in six he was well-to-do, in nine he was rich, and in twelve there were not half a dozen men in the whole of Salt Lake City who could compare with him.”
Ferrier's wealth grew rapidly over twelve years, making him one of the richest men in the city.
Illustrates Ferrier's economic success and social mobility.
“No argument or persuasion could ever induce him to set up a female establishment after the manner of his companions.”
Ferrier refused to take multiple wives despite pressure from fellow Mormons.
Shows Ferrier's deviation from Mormon polygamy, hinting at past love.
