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Jia Sun
Lynda Haas
Writing 39B
June 4, 2014
The Relationship between Sherlock Holmes and John Watson
The relationship between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson is widely known by fans of
the mystery genre across time; however, not everyone has the same interpretation of the
mysterious connection between the exclusive consulting detective and the common doctor.
Scholarly authors show great interests in finding out what Watson exactly means to Holmes.
Leroy Panek indicates that Watson is more like a student to Holmes in his book An Introduction
to the Detective Story (85). However, Maria Konnikova, a contributing writer for The New
Yorker online, believes that Watson acts as a contrast to Holmes when she compares two
different thinking systems in her book Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes (18). Sir
Arthur Conan Doyles novel, The Sign of Four, introduces the story that how Holmes and
Watson work together to solve the case in Pondicherry Lodge and defeat the wooden-legged man
and his assistant, Tonga. In this story, the comparison between Holmes and Watson is displayed
when they make distinct deductions. However, Holmes also explains his analysis to Watson like
a patient teacher at the same time. Scholarly writers, T.J. Binyon and Kirby Farrell also express
their own opinions towards the relationship between Holmes and Watson. Now matter what kind
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of relationship they maintain, Watson is an irreplaceable character in the great detective story
since his appearance makes those stories become more attractive and convincing.
Leroy Led Panek, a Professor at McDaniel College, points out the first possibility that the
relationship between Holmes and Watson can be described as an educational relationship. He
demonstrates that Doyle put his memory about his old professor, Joe Bell, and his own view
towards general professors into the character of Holmes. He first refers to the description of
Watson in "Abbey Grange" (Watson listens to Holmes "like an interested student who observes
the demonstration of his professor"); then he mentions, he places considerable stress on the
professorial qualities of Holmes on of the secrets of the character, what we view as endearing
grumpiness and delightful perversity in our teachers (85). Another scholar, Kirby Farrell, holds a
similar point of view in his academic journal, Heroism, Culture, and Dread in The Sign of Four.
It illustrates that Watson and Miss Morstan become like two children. Thaddeus acquires the
helpless, appealing expression of a terrified child. All the while Holmes acts the parent, giving
firm, crisp orders (42). Instead of saying Holmes is a teacher, Farrell indicates that Holmes is
also like a parent to Watson. Both these two scholars point out that Conan Doyle used
educational relationship to describe the relationship between Sherlock Holmes and John Watson.
On one hand, this tactic sets up the respectable character of Holmes. On the other hand, as a
student or child, John Watson makes the whole story become more coherent and reasonable.
It is easy to ignore that without Watsons questions and mistakes, Holmes would not have
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the opportunity to be the teacher who needs to make those explanations for his deductions.
One example is from The Sign of Four, after Holmes talks about The Distinction between the
Ashes of the Various Tobaccos, he asks if Watson feels bored about listening to his hobby.
Watson replies, It is of the greatest interest to me, especially since I have had the opportunity of
observing your practical application of it (232). Without Watson, the whole paragraph of
description of professional analysis will make the readers feel extremely bored. Most of time,
Holmess analysis of his logical deduction is an explanation for answering Watsons questions.
To some extent, the student status of Watson is more like the status of readers; his questions can
definitely direct readers to follow Holmess explanation for his great deduction. Readers will not
feel bored or lost when they follow the step of Holmes.
In Maria Konnikovas book Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes, she offers
another important role for Watson: a foil to the genius Holmes. She describes two different
thinking systems. One of them is the Watson system: fast, intuitive, reactionarya kind of
constant fight-or-fight vigilance of mind (17). Watson usually makes conclusions based on what
he has seen on the surface. The other system described by Konnikova, the Holmes system, is
relatively slower, but more logical and thoughtful (17-18). Holmess conclusions are more deep
and thoughtful than Watsons. After combining with the knowledge in his mind and rechecking
the unsure speculation, Holmes can finally make the assured conclusion. Holmes and Watsons
comparison of way of thinking was illustrated when they made the contrasting clue deductions of
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the prints of a naked foot in The Sign of Four (832). Compared to Watson, Holmes did not
jump to his conclusion quickly after seeing the footprint. Instead of say a child has done the
horrid thing like Watson, Holmes was calmer and whipped out his lens and a tape measure,
and hurried about the room on his knees, measuring, comparing, examining, with his long thin
nose only a few inches from the planks, and his beady eyes gleaming and deep-set like those of a
bird (848). The comparison of Holmes and Watson also shows the importance of the common
character since most readers have the same feeling like Watson. Watsons way of thinking is
more like a normal person; it helps to amplify the intelligence and prudence of Holmes.
Conan Doyle not only made Watson as a contrast to Holmes, but also let him narrate the story.
T.J. Binyon reveals in his book, Murder Will Out: The Detective in Fiction, that the creation of
was, in fact, a stroke of genius(9). Watsons narration makes the Holmess stories become more
understandable and attractive. Since not everyone can understand Holmess world alone, they
would like to explore more with their guide, the complement of Holmes, Watson. As Kirby
Farrell mentions, Watson represents an uneasy accommodation to the commonplace world.
Dissociation allows him and the reader to identify with a godlike projection of human powers
and participate in a fantasy of mental exaltation (34). Watson is created to lead the reader to
follow him and walk into the world of Sherlock Holmes. Without him, we cannot easily find out
the meaning of Holmess each step. Like scholar Arun Thuraiarasan mentions in his review of
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Sherlock, BBC Season 1, there can be no Sherlock Holmes without a stalwart Dr. John Watson to
define him.
The two possible relationships between Sherlock Holmes and John Watson:
teacher-student and contrasts, both contribute to make the unique detective stories. Watson is
definitely less wise than Holmes, but those mistakes he makes not only reflect the intelligence of
Holmes, but also lead the readers to focus on Holmess logical reasoning. Not everyone can be
such conscious like Holmes, their ability of thinking is much more similar to Watsons. The
existence of Watson makes the reader feel more realistic when they read the amusing stories of
Holmes.










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WORKS CITED
Binyon, T.J. "Murder Will Out": The Detective in Fiction. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1989.
Print.
Farrell, Kirby. Heroism, Culture, and Dread in The Sign of Four. Studies in the Novel 16:1
(1984): 32-51. JSTOR. Web. 01/15/2014.
Konnikova, Maria. Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes. New York: Viking, 2013.
Print.
Panek, Leroy. An Introduction to the Detective Story. Bowling Green, OH: Bowling Green
State University Popular Press, 1987. Print.
Conan Doyle, Arthur. The Sign of the Four. Seattle: Amazon Digital Services, 2013. Kindle
eBook. Online.
Arun Thuraiarasan, Sherlock, BBC Season 1- A Review. All Things Considered. 14 Aug. 2011.
Web. 4 June. 2014
https://arunarasan.wordpress.com/tag/dr-john-watson/