A Study in Scarlet:
- Holmes- uses powers of deduction?- he deduces things.
First description of Holmes- ‘He is a little queer in his ideas- an enthusiast in
some branches of science.’ (p.9.)
o ‘he is not a man that it is easy to draw out, though he can be
communicative enough when the fancy seizes him’ (p.9.)
o In his scientific work- he has ‘a passion for definite and exact
knowledge’ (p.10.)
o Note: link of detective modes to medical discourse.
Scientific approach to crime- p.12.- can determine blood stains.
Holmes knows Watson has been to Afghanistan without him telling him- how
does Holmes find things out?- p.14.
Physical description of Holmes- p.16.- ‘eyes were sharp and piercing’ etc.
P.16- Watson is trying to investigate Holmes.
P.17. ‘the skilful workman is very careful indeed as to what he takes into his
brain-attic’.
P.20- The Book of Life- ‘attempted to show how much an observant man
might learn by an accurate and systematic examination of all that came in his
way’. > Holmes’ article on the Science of Deduction.
P.21. ‘I have a turn both for observation and for deduction’ – ‘I depend upon
them for my bread and cheese’ (p.21.).
o P.21. Holmes is a ‘consulting detective’- people go to him when
Government detectives and private detectives fail.
P.21- Armchair detective work- ‘without leaving your room you can unravel
some know which other men can make nothing of […]?’
Observation is ‘second nature’ (p.22.) to Holmes.
P.22. ‘You remind me of Edgar Allan Poe’s Dupin. I had no idea that such
individuals did exist outside of stories’.
o According to Holmes, ‘Dupin was a very inferior fellow’ (p.22.)
P.23- Holmes is able to guess who Watson is referring to outside. Can deduce
his profession from his appearance- p.25.
P.26.- Tobias Gregson and Lestrade- Scotland Yarders- called in Holmes.
P.27.- ‘It is a capital mistake to theorize before you have all the evidence. It
biases the judgement.’
P.27-8- Holmes observing everything around him- apparently of little
significance.
P.29. Holmes seems to ask inconsequential questions e.g. about whether
Gregson and Lestrade came by cab- beginnings of criminal investigation.
P.30- Holmes’ knowledge of previous cases helps him with new cases-
something has always been done before.
P.34- Watson is ‘irresistibly reminded of a pure-blooded, well-trained
foxhound’
P.34- ‘Sherlock Holmes’s smallest actions were all directed towards some
definite and practical end’.
P.35- Holmes has come to different conclusions from the police- has worked
out character of the murderer, how they arrived to the scene of murder etc just
be looking at the markings in the room, and the tracks outside.
o He is ‘simply applying to ordinary life a few of those precepts of
observation and deduction which I advocated in that article’ (p.37.)
- Holmes- uses powers of deduction?- he deduces things.
First description of Holmes- ‘He is a little queer in his ideas- an enthusiast in
some branches of science.’ (p.9.)
o ‘he is not a man that it is easy to draw out, though he can be
communicative enough when the fancy seizes him’ (p.9.)
o In his scientific work- he has ‘a passion for definite and exact
knowledge’ (p.10.)
o Note: link of detective modes to medical discourse.
Scientific approach to crime- p.12.- can determine blood stains.
Holmes knows Watson has been to Afghanistan without him telling him- how
does Holmes find things out?- p.14.
Physical description of Holmes- p.16.- ‘eyes were sharp and piercing’ etc.
P.16- Watson is trying to investigate Holmes.
P.17. ‘the skilful workman is very careful indeed as to what he takes into his
brain-attic’.
P.20- The Book of Life- ‘attempted to show how much an observant man
might learn by an accurate and systematic examination of all that came in his
way’. > Holmes’ article on the Science of Deduction.
P.21. ‘I have a turn both for observation and for deduction’ – ‘I depend upon
them for my bread and cheese’ (p.21.).
o P.21. Holmes is a ‘consulting detective’- people go to him when
Government detectives and private detectives fail.
P.21- Armchair detective work- ‘without leaving your room you can unravel
some know which other men can make nothing of […]?’
Observation is ‘second nature’ (p.22.) to Holmes.
P.22. ‘You remind me of Edgar Allan Poe’s Dupin. I had no idea that such
individuals did exist outside of stories’.
o According to Holmes, ‘Dupin was a very inferior fellow’ (p.22.)
P.23- Holmes is able to guess who Watson is referring to outside. Can deduce
his profession from his appearance- p.25.
P.26.- Tobias Gregson and Lestrade- Scotland Yarders- called in Holmes.
P.27.- ‘It is a capital mistake to theorize before you have all the evidence. It
biases the judgement.’
P.27-8- Holmes observing everything around him- apparently of little
significance.
P.29. Holmes seems to ask inconsequential questions e.g. about whether
Gregson and Lestrade came by cab- beginnings of criminal investigation.
P.30- Holmes’ knowledge of previous cases helps him with new cases-
something has always been done before.
P.34- Watson is ‘irresistibly reminded of a pure-blooded, well-trained
foxhound’
P.34- ‘Sherlock Holmes’s smallest actions were all directed towards some
definite and practical end’.
P.35- Holmes has come to different conclusions from the police- has worked
out character of the murderer, how they arrived to the scene of murder etc just
be looking at the markings in the room, and the tracks outside.
o He is ‘simply applying to ordinary life a few of those precepts of
observation and deduction which I advocated in that article’ (p.37.)
