How does Conan Doyle use Dr. Watson to reveal the character and genius of Sherlock Holmes?
How does Conan Doyle use Dr. Watson to reveal the character and genius of Sherlock Holmes?
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle shows Sherlock Holmes as a highly intelligent individual. We are shown Holmes' intelligence from his good friend Dr. Watson.
We learn that Holmes is very methodical in his deductive ways; this is shown in "The Speckled Band", as Watson describes the movements of Sherlock Holmes, and how he "sits in his usual way".
This tells us the type of character that Holmes is; Holmes uses the power of deduction in a clinical way. This is shown as Sherlock Holmes tells Helen Stoner how she arrived to his house. Holmes explains how the mud on the left side of her jacket could only be from the dogcart she used, "there is no vehicle save a dogcart which throws up mud in that way, and then only when you sit on the left-hand side of the driver".
In "The Speckled Band" we also see the type of character Holmes is, we learn that Holmes' intelligence is greater than any of the common man, but we also see Holmes' strength as Dr. Roylott, the step-father of Helen Stoner, bends an iron poker out of shape. As Dr. Roylott leaves, Holmes bends the poker back into shape. In this passage we also see how Holmes tells Watson how he is compared to the official police force, "Fancy having the insolence to confound me with the official detective force!" This shows us how highly Holmes thinks of himself. Later in the novel we see the medical genius of Holmes, as he shows Watson how two little bite marks are left on the corpse, and how the victim must have been poisoned. This tells us that Holmes is very observant and self-explanatory in his investigations, with the aid of his friend Dr. Watson.
Holmes observations and knowledge are also shown in "The Five Orange Pips", this is shown as Holmes explains how his late guest joins them, "You have come up from the south-west, I see."
"Yes from Horsham."
"That clay and chalk mixture which I see upon your toe-caps is quite distinctive." this tells us how Holmes knowledge and observation of the places he has visited.
Also in this passage we see that Holmes is known around the country as he has helped many other people, " I have heard of you, Mr. Holmes. I heard from ...
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Holmes observations and knowledge are also shown in "The Five Orange Pips", this is shown as Holmes explains how his late guest joins them, "You have come up from the south-west, I see."
"Yes from Horsham."
"That clay and chalk mixture which I see upon your toe-caps is quite distinctive." this tells us how Holmes knowledge and observation of the places he has visited.
Also in this passage we see that Holmes is known around the country as he has helped many other people, " I have heard of you, Mr. Holmes. I heard from Major Prendergast how you saved him in the Tankerville Club Scandal"
We also learn that Holmes has been defeated in his quest for justice. "I have been beaten four times- three times by men and once by a woman."
This shows the character of Holmes, accepting that these people have beaten him.
In "The Five Orange Pips" we see how excited by this case and how it is "One of the most remarkable to which I have listened."
This also tells us that Holmes intelligence has still not heard of such deaths and murders. This shows his character, as he still wants to solve cases, in which he doesn't know what is going to happen.
We also see that Holmes gives advice to the man who has asked for help; Holmes tells him that he should act upon the situation. However when the man told the police, they laughed. Then Holmes cries "Incredible imbecility!" this shows how Holmes believes that the police are ignorant, like in "The Speckled Band".
We also learn about the type of skills and intelligence that Holmes picked up, this is shown to us by Dr. Watson, "Botany variable, geology profound as regards the mud stains from any region within 50 miles of town, chemistry eccentric, autonomy unsystematic, sensational literature and crime records unique, violin player, boxer, swordsman, lawyer, and self-poisoner by cocaine and tobacco. Those, I think, were the main points of my analysis." This tells us the amount of studying and how intelligent Holmes is.
In "The Final Problem" we see how Holmes must use all of his intelligence to defeat his arch nemesis, professor Moriarty. The case Holmes has to solve will uses his mental and physical strength. There fore we know that the professor is smarter than Holmes, and can use more manipulative ways to destroy Holmes. This story has many emotions, which reveal the character and genius of Holmes.
We firstly see that Holmes runs to his house in Bakers Street, as he is frightened. This is the first time we see Sherlock Holmes scared. This is shown as he speaks to Watson asking him to go on a journey with him, anywhere. We are shown that Holmes is scared as Watson tells us "It was not in Holmes's nature to take an aimless holiday" and "Pale, worn face told me that his nerves were at their highest tension". This is proof that Holmes is scared at this point of time.
We are told that Holmes is frightened of professor Moriarty, "The Napoleon of crime".
Through out this story we see how a new side of Holmes is revealed, and how he is terrified of the dangers he will face. "This is not danger, It is inevitable destruction. You stand in the way not merely of an individual, but of a mighty organisation".
As we know Holmes is scared, however later in the story we see that he is calm and jokes with Dr. Watson in the train.
We see that Holmes continues his enigmatic approach as Moriarty escapes from the police and Holmes tells Watson to leave him " Because you will find me a dangerous companion now".
In the final parts to the story we see how Holmes and Moriarty both use their strength and desire to defeat each other, which ironically is the death of both of them. They both fall down the cliff to the water and die, whilst Watson is left on top of the waterfall, reading the letter that Holmes left for him.
In these stories we are shown how Dr. Watson describes the intelligent mind of his good friend Sherlock Holmes. The three stories I used "The Speckled Band", "The Five Orange Pips" and "The Final Problem" all showed the character and genius of Sherlock Holmes. These three stories all showed different characters of Holmes as he was terrified of Moriarty, observant in "The Speckled Band" and he was courageous in "The Five Orange Pips".
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, has used Watson in such a way that Watson is the narrator to the cases that Holmes solves. Although Watson is involved in the stories, he is used as an informer and as a good, reliable friend.
Alex Fernandes 11.1