How do chapters one and two set in motion the rest of the novel?
Sir Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh on 22nd May 1859. He was one of ten children, three of whom died in childhood. Arthur attended Hodder Preparatory School and then Stonyhurst College in Lancashire. After leaving school, Conan Doyle went to Edinburgh to study medicine. Here he met Dr Joseph Bell, who became the model for Sherlock Holmes and his methods. Conan Doyle’s first stories were published while he was still a student. Sherlock Holmes made his fictional debut in ‘A study in scarlet’ in 1887 a year after the Jack the Ripper murders.
At the very start of the book in Chapter One Dr Watson and Sherlock Holmes are already looking at clues. Whilst Holmes is the leader of the investigation, he receives compliments of his skills from Watson although down talks Watson. For example, Sherlock says to Watson ‘It may be that you are not yourself luminous, but you are a conductor of light’. I think Holmes is saying to Watson he is intelligent but nothing compared to Holmes. He always thinks that Watson should look up to him and admire his intelligence as Sherlock Holmes can draw up a lot of information from small clues. Their relationship seems to be that Holmes should get all the praise and being in the limelight whilst Watson is his sidekick giving him the praise although he still relies on Watson for support. Even though he will lean on Watson for support Holmes will show and tell Watson he faults when they are discussing the murder case. This is shown by Holmes saying ‘I am afraid, my dear Watson, that most of your conclusions were erroneous’, to Watson. Sherlock Holmes likes to show Watson the mistakes he has made and I feel like Holmes gains more confidence from that.
