Yuridia Guzman

English 305
Professor Kimberly Huth
September 28, 2019
In the Mind and Scene of Holmes
In A Study in Scarlet, by Sir Arthur Canon Doyle, Sherlock Holmes character has

peculiar ways at looking at people and situations. In the novel, we see Sherlock Holmes move

from one setting to another, all in which show a different side to Sherlock Holmes personality

and scope. Each of these different locations in the narrative greatly shape his character.

Throughout the different setting, we are able to see beyond what was initially presented of

Sherlocks character. The setting of the laboratory, the apartment, and the first crime scene in

Lauriston Gardens each contribute to the characterization of Sherlock, which lead the elements

of setting and character to intersect with one another thought out the story.

Sherlock Holmes was introduced to us as a consulting detective. As we know Sherlock

Holmes character seems to be very strange and eccentric man to others due to the way he

conducts himself. As Sherlock moves from different settings we see how his character is shaped.

A few ways we can describe Sherlock Holmes is observant, blunt, and wants his intelligence to

be known. He adds central mystery and his focus is entirely on what he is interested in, not what

everyone else is doing. Sherlock claims that, no man lives or has ever lived who has brought the

same amount of study and of natural talent to the detection of crime which I have done,

showing how highly he thinks about his abilities, talents and his intelligence (Doyle 14). Due to

Sherlock Holmes observant to detail skills, it seems as if though nothing can escape his eye. Not

one detail seems to be left out of his sight. The information of the case is what important to

Holmes when solving mystery. Sherlock compares his brain to an attic I consider that a mans

brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with furniture as you chose,

meaning that to fill your brain, you will need to fill it in with information you want, it is of the
highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing out the useful one, meaning

you will need relevant information that would be useful to use not just information that will just

take up space (Doyle 9). Therefore, to Holmes when looking at a crime scene his focus is on the

information he will need that will lead him to the conclusion. Holmes character has the ability to

look into detail. Throughout the novel Holmes can be described as an arrogant man that enjoys

surprising those around him with his knowledge. Throughout his case we see that if he is not

intellectually stimulated than his mood changes. What Holmes strives for is the challenge of the

case. As the reader throughout the different setting we can see more of Sherlock Holmes

character. Holmes motivation is the challenge that the crime scenes bring him intellectually. His

character and his need to solve the mystery is shown throughout the different locations he sets

off to. Due to the different setting we can see how it shapes his character.

The different setting that are mentioned in the text help contribute to Homes

characterization. During the first visit between Watson and Holmes we see that in the setting of

the laboratory, Holmes seems to be too scientific and seemed to have a strange attachment to

cold bloodedness (Doyle 4). The author expresses how Holmes had a, "passion for definite and

exact knowledge," therefore in the laboratory as well as in the crime scenes he would conduct

experiments that were out of the norm to get to the bottom of the case (Doyle 4). In the

laboratory, due Holmes unconventional ways, used different forms of experiments and tests that

according to him would prove and show better results and answers than the old tests that were

done by the authorities. Due to the experiments he was able to do inside the laboratory in his

mind gave him a sense of accomplishment because in his reasoning he felt that those criminals

that were sent free, if his experiments would have been performed then they would have

remained in jail (Doyle 6). Sherlock Holmes apartment on 221B Baker Street seems to be a
place of thinking. The apartment seems to play different roles for Holmes some being served as a

study, laboratory, and a place of therapy. In the apartment Holmes uses it as a place where he can

think out loud and make connections to the cases he is investigating. Watson described the

apartment, they consisted of a couple of comfortable bedroom and a single large airy sitting

room, cheerfully furnished, and illuminated by two broad windows, showing how his apartment

reflects his character because his apartment seems to be as eccentric as Holmes is ( Doyle 7). The

way Watson described the apartment also is a description of Holmes character. Sherlock appears

to be a large man with unique ways who is cheerful when it comes to investigating a crime scene

due to the challenge and thrill it brings to him. In the Lauriston Garden crime scene Watson

expressed, as I watched him I was irresistibly reminded of a pure-blooded, well-trained

foxhound, as it dashes backward and forward through the covert, whining in its eagerness, until it

comes across the lost scent, showing that through a physical setting Sherlock becomes very

resourceful and will look at evidence or trace as detailed as possible trying to leave nothing out

(Doyle 22). The hound motif reflects Holmes character because they both have tunnel vision

where their only focus is on what it is searching for.

In the novel both elements of setting and character intersect with one another. In certain

scenes of the novel we have seen how both elements have related to how the case is solved. In

the beginning of the book Holmes was in the laboratory when Watson was introduced to him. In

that part of the novel we saw Holmes arrogant and need to show how intelligent he really is

shown while he was conducting an experiment as well as when he had told Watsons past and

character (Doyle 5). Holmes character seems to have a quick and advance mind that causes him

to be very outspoken and blunt when speaking to people. Another example when setting and

character intersect is when Holmes is on a case he uses his sight of detail. In the scene when
Holmes was examining the body in Lauriston Gardens of Enoch J. Drebber. When Homes

arrived to the location he hurried to the location of the crime scene there we were able to see at

that keen eye he is known for. Holmes only focus when he arrived was to dive right in and study

the scene, Nothing appeared to be further from his intention, showing how his character only

focuses on mystery of the case and nothing else (Doyle 17). When he approached the body of the

alleged victim he began by looking at the scene of the body then, after began asking questions to

the Gregson and Lestrade who were there at the crime scene before he has arrived. At first the

men seem have closed the case, but due to Holmes own examination he came to the conclusion

that the blood belonged to the second person who was in the room when the event has occurred

most likely according to Holmes was the killer (Doyle 18-19). Holmes observant and unique

ways of looking at a scene lead him to finding the conclusion to the mystery. Holmes motivation

is mostly directed towards finding the answers to the mystery. To Holmes his intelligence is

everything and wants people to know and see it. His observant ways allows Holmes to see

beyond what is taken place, and due to his eye on details is what leads him to solving the case.

Throughout the novel we see how Holmes moved from one location to another. When

Holmes moved to different settings it helped shape his character. We see in different instance his

arrogant side, but in other setting we have seen how his observant skills is what solves it all.

Throughout the novel we read how the elements of setting and character intersected with each

other. In the location of the laboratory we saw his need to show his intelligence and blunt

personality and in the crime scene of Lauriston Gardens we saw how his observant character.

Lastly in the apartment we saw Holmes eccentric and strange ways through his thinking style.

Being in the different location, it contributes to Holmes characters.

Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan. A Study in Scarlet. Dover Publications Inc., 2003.