Previous

Dr. John Watson serves as both a character and the narrator in most Sherlock Holmes stories. Everything we know about the story is filtered through the lens of Watson's perspective. Watson is not only a friend of Holmes, but also a great admirer of his investigative style, which results in a positive and favorable description of Holmes's eccentric behavior. The choice of narrator also means readers do not get to see Holmes at work unless Watson is with him. For instance, Holmes's interrogation of the grooms and his encounter with Adler and Norton at the church aren't shown, but rather explained by Holmes to Watson. Having Watson serve as narrator creates a reason for Holmes to explain not only what occurred, but also his thinking behind each action. The real star of the story is Holmes's intellect, so telling the story through a discussion with Watson rather than through an objective description of his actions allows for a bigger focus to be placed on the reasoning behind the actions, rather than the actions themselves. As he narrates Holmes's story, Watson finds himself drawn into the allure of the mystery, so much so that he eventually joins Holmes in his adventure. Watson changes as much as any other character in the story. At the start, he has no time for Holmes because his marriage requires all his attention. By the end, Watson is fully involved in the investigation and chooses to spend the night at Holmes's apartment rather than at home with his wife.

Previous section Motifs

Take a Study Break