Holmes Character analysis COPY Flashcards
‘Savage instincts’
victorian fear
We later learn that Holmes knows that Jonathan Small’s accomplice was a pygmy from the Andaman Islands in India. Although we cannot argue that Sherlock Holmes himself was racist, it is important to note the racial attitudes of the time – the unknown man is assumed to be a‘savage’who wanted to murder someone.Victorians often assumed that people from other cultures were dangerous and immoral. Victorian readers might approve of this character as the villain in the story.
‘Do not imagine that I depend for my success in this case upon the mere chance of one of these fellows having put his foot in the chemical’
science,
Holmes wants to make it clear that he has built up a strong case with solid evidence. He does and will not base his deductions on‘chance’.He uses the adjective‘mere’to show that he knows the limitations to this kind of evidence and will not base his whole case upon it
‘They are naturally hideous, having large, misshapen heads, small, fierce eyes, and distorted features… These massacres are invariably concluded by a cannibal feast’
victorian fear, imperialism
We cannot argue that Holmes’ attitudes are especially racist here – he is voicing Victorian attitudes towards other cultures, which were generally very racist.This description is used to terrify the reader – there is a small, sneaky man on the loose, who is from a fierce culture and who apparently engages in‘cannibal feasts’.
Listing tonga’s features in such a negative way create a semantic field of disgust as the adjective ‘hideous’ and ‘distorted’ has connoted Tonga being a strange and savage creature. tonga is presented in this way even though he is the most loyal throughout the novella. Doyle makes his character paradoxical to depict the racist victorian prevalent beliefs about people outside of Britain.
Conan Doyle employs a sense of mystery for the reader with automatic curiosity about the unknown, and excitement and danger by bringing elements from overseas into the story. this would remind the modern-day reader much of a film set in an exotic location but also how lamentable the beliefs in the victorian era were
‘We must catch her… If we burn the boat we must have them!’(Sherlock Holmes).
duality, rationality and emotion
Holmes is usually quite calm and collected, but we feel his excitement here as he becomes obsessed with catching the criminals and solving the case.His desperation is shown through his use of the repeated imperative‘must’and his use of an exclamation mark.He also disregards the safety of everyone on the boat as he suggests that catching the criminals is more important than their own lives.
women should not be entirely trusted…’
as the key female in the novel, mary’s role is interesting. she begins with some strength and independence, which is admired by Holmes; at the ending, he again compliments her for her ‘genius’ rather than for her good manner. However, he uses the aphorism in a very chauvinistic statement which immediately undermines her portraying her as weak. the reader has a challenge in deciding whether this attitude should be attributed to his narrative perspective or whether it is the intention of Doyle to show that Women need masculine support and portection
‘There still remains the cocaine-bottle’
duality and rationality
Dr Watson’s narration shows that Sherlock Holmes is stuck in a seemingly never-ending cyclical structure: he uses the drugs to stimulate his brain until he has a case to solve; then he investigates and solves a case; then he returns to taking drugs until he is presented with another case; and so the cycle continues. He does not seem to gain anything from the investigations except for short bursts of mental stimulation.
‘We have not heard your story, and we cannot tell how far justice may originally have been on your side’
justice
Holmes suggests that Small will receive better justice if he tells them the whole story – Holmes actually has every intention of sending Small to prison but knows that he can get him to talk by suggesting that Small needs fair treatment Holmes deliberately does not say what‘justice’would be for Small; Small may still believe that he has some chance of receiving some of the treasure.
‘A client is to me a mere unit,—a factor in a problem’
jsutice
Continuing with the idea of Holmes having a logical, scientific brain, in this quote he separates himself from people in general. He does not see his clients as actual people, so he is not particularly concerned about their emotional state. Like a machine, he views his clients as a piece of a puzzle and no more. He enjoys solving the puzzle – he doesn’t need to know how the puzzle feels
the aphorism depicts that Holmes does not even identify people implying that he disregards feelings or emotions that the client he has, has. he uses them as stimulation and just solves the problem he has been given
Doyle also uses this as a teachable moment to indicate that the police force should not judge others and they should just do what they need to do for others just as Holmes does.
‘The emotional qualities are antagonistic to clear reasoning’
rationality, duality
Holmes feels that there is no place for emotional involvement in cases – he thinks that emotions stop people behaving in a reasonable way.As such, he is not interested in forming emotional connections with people. Although he shows himself to be good at social skills, he does not want to develop close relationships with people, as he does not want his judgement to be clouded.
By using the aphorism Holmes undermines any type of emotion as we look up to him throughout the novella as a clever, apt detective that knows the perfect solution to each problem.
‘That is why I have chosen my own particular profession, - or rather created it, for I am the only one in the world’
science, rationality, justice
Right from the start, Holmes is shown to be almost arrogant in his self-confidence In this quote, he suggests that he is unique in his investigative abilities, so much so that he has‘created’the whole detection profession
‘Wir sind gewohnt das die Menschen verhoehnen was sie nicht verstehen’
duality, rationality, science, justice
Holmes could be separating himself even further from the incompetent police force by demonstrating his intelligence here. He knows that Jones will mock him, but he does not really care – he is confident in his own intelligence and his own abilities, and is unfazed by Jones’ patronising, nasty attitude
‘Methodically examined it all over with his double lens’
sceince
Sherlock shows his great powers of detection here. He zooms in on small details and, even though he does not immediately recognise the importance of the’curious paper’, he feels that it could be important. He shows that he does not dismiss any possible evidence until the case is solved.However, the fact that even Sherlock Holmes does not understand the link at the moment adds a great amount of mystery and suspense to the item.
‘Whatever you may choose to say will go no further’
rationality
Despite his apparent lack of good social skills, Holmes does know how to work well with those he is questioning – he does this later with Jonathan Small. He is able to make people feel comfortable around him, have faith in him, and trust in his judgement. He understands how to talk to people in order to achieve the results he desires.
When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains,however improbable, must be the truth
science
Holmes tries to teach Watson about his investigative methods.He encourages Watson to draw his own conclusions, using the phrase‘however improbable’to encourage him to think outside the box.The italics suggest that Holmes is emphasising the need to carefully consider all of the evidence, even if it doesn’t seem to lead to the most logical conclusion.
it confirms my diagnosis, as you doctors express it’
sceince
when holmes call the yard workers ‘dirty-looking rascals’ he expresses a middle-class victorian distaste for the lower classes. they appear ‘dirty’- an adjective that means unclean but also implies immoral. this is reinforced by ‘rascals’ which also connotes dishonesty, though of a harmless, mischievous, or playful kind. holmes’ words indicate that though he finds the workers distasteful, and probably dishonest, they are not threatening or evil
