Each story is started in Holmes’s rooms, this too shows that Holmes was well off as houses in London were not cheap at the time. Another piece of evidence to show that Holmes was of the upper class is that he had his own maid that cooks and cleans, although Holmes is never seen eating. Although Holmes does not charge for his services, all of his clients are wealthy people. In “The Speckled Band”, Holmes' client Mrs Hudson, lives in a large house in the country. The fact that all Holmes’ clients are wealthy and important shows that Holmes too is important and wealthy. If Holmes dealt with poor less important people or less challenging cases it would ruin his reputation and the story as it takes a complex case to make a good story.
Of the three stories we have read, each has followed the same basic structure,
the structure plays a key part in all of the stories, as it is the same throughout all of the stories it allows the reader to understand what is happening and to feel more involved as they know what will happen next. Each story starts with a brief comment from Watson, he will always try to make this case seem better than the previous one by saying things like “Of all these varied cases I cannot recall any which presented more singular features”. Here Doyle is trying to hook the reader into reading the rest of the story by making them believe that this story will be better than the last. The case will then begin with a troubled client finding Holmes, never the other way round, as Doyle does not want to make Holmes appear desperate by looking for clients. The client explains their case before leaving it for Holmes to solve. Although Holmes does not advertise his services in any way, his clients always find him, this is often because someone has recommended him. “I have heard of you from Mrs. Farintosh, whom you helped in the hours of here sore need.” The fact that the client always finds Holmes largely adds to his reputation.
There is one main difference in the opening of the stories, this is in “The Man with the Twisted lip” where start of the story is set at Watson’s house. The main difference here is that the client has not come to Holmes or Watson but to Watson’s wife, “Folk who were in grief came to my wife like birds to a light house” this also gives Watson a chance to explain the case to the audience before explaining it to Holmes. Conan Doyle has started the story like this mainly to give Watson a chance to shine and show that there are some differences in the structure of his stories. Although Watson is portrayed as being quite stupid, this is only because he is out shone by Holmes’ intelligence, Watson is in fact a doctor and although he does not solve any cases he does come to some significant conclusion.
The next part of the story will involve Holmes and Watson traveling to the scene of the crime, which is a crucial part of the story. During their journey Holmes will often become “buried in the deepest thought”, here Holmes is already beginning to think of what may have happened before he has any real evidence. Although Holmes tries to distance himself from the police force his methods are exactly the same as that of the police. Each time Holmes visits the scene of the crime he is able to deduce more than anyone with him, often Watson. Holmes will then drop a red herring by offering a false conclusion, e.g. in “The Speckled Band” we are lead to believe that the gypsies are responsible for the murder as Holmes thinks this, at the end of the story we learn that the gypsies had nothing to do with the murder and that they were the red herring. The red herring is often the same conclusion that the readers and Watson had come too. In each story red herring is designed to throw the audience off the right trail. It offers a too-easy conclusion to the case, tempting us to take the bait and making fools of us if we do, although after reading a few stories we know that Holmes first conclusion will be a red herring therefore prompting us to discard it.
After visiting the scene of the crime Holmes will have almost have solved the case way before the police and the reader, but in order to lengthen the story the writer will have to make it appear as if Holmes still needs to gather more evidence to be sure of what has happened. In “The Speckled Band” after Holmes has visited the scene of the crime he decides to wait in “Grimesby Roylott’s home” to catch him red handed, whereas in “The Silver Blaze” after visiting the scene of the crime Holmes waits four days until he reveals what has happened at the race.
The final part of the case involves Holmes meeting with the client and explaining what has happened and why. The writer, Arthur Conan Doyle, has used Watson to narrate the cases as he is not as intelligent as Holmes, because of this it allows the reader to try to solve the case before Sherlock reveals what has happened. The other reason is that it paces the story out, if Holmes were to reveal what has really happened as soon as he comes to the conclusion the story would be over twice as quick.
If Holmes was the perfect detective, no one would want to read about him, instead he has many problems including his drug habits and his ego. At the time Holmes’ drug use was not illegal, as the Drug Act had not been introduced until 1965. Holmes openly takes both morphine and cocaine but only as a cure for his depression often caused by the boredom of having nothing to investigate. He also only takes it while alone in the darkness. Holmes unfortunately does not have everything in life, he may be an amazing detective but he has few social skills and a temperamental personality. Holmes also appears to have a large ego that can appear fragile at times. His fragile ego is exposed when he is accused of being a member of the police force by Dr Grimsby Roylott in “The Speckled Band” Doyle has portrayed Holmes to appear fearless and clever but at the same time he can appear arrogant and strange.
Holmes is most famous for his powers of observation and deduction, Holmes is aware of this as we see in “The speckled Band” where Holmes says “I may have deduced a little more. I imagine you saw all that I did” here Holmes is almost mocking Watson by saying: we saw exactly the same things but I was able to deduce more than you. Another example of Holmes’s powers of observation is in the “Silver Blaze” where he calculates the speed of the train by counting the quarter mile posts.
Another key characteristic of Holmes is that he is fearless, he never appears intimidated even when threatened by people twice his size. In “The Speckled Band” Holmes encounters a snake that has just killed a man, instead of running away from it he grabs it, this is a classic example of Holmes’s bravery. Holmes can also appear arrogant when he meets the King of Bohemia, unlike Watson who bows when the king enters the room Holmes refuses to even shake the King’s hand.
Holmes can sometimes treat Watson like a friend but can also, without meaning to, treat him like child e.g. Holmes often wakes Watson up early in the morning and demands that Watson accompanies him to various locations. In “The Speckled Band” Watson returns from a long journey feeling hungry, when he requests for the maid to make him a hot meal Holmes undermines him by telling maid to make Watson a sandwich that will be nowhere near as filling as a hot meal. Although Holmes often appears to be above Watson he never investigates a case without Watson by his side showing that Holmes is dependent of Watson. “My dear Watson, you could confer a favor upon me by coming”. Here Holmes is inviting Watson along with him as he does in all his cases, this too shows that Holmes does rely on Watson for his help and company.
Doyle has allowed the reader to think of Holmes in many different ways due to his split personality and unconventional methods. Some readers may hate Holmes because of his arrogance whereas some readers may love Holmes because of his brilliance.
I do not have a favorite story because do not like Sherlock Holmes. I find the cases too unrealistic and complex, I also think that the structure makes the stories too predictable.