Book Analysis 1

ID Number: 1037250.01

May 19, 2022

Assignment A: Character Sketch

Sherlock Holmes is the main character in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the

Baskervilles. He is a well-known detective who works with his partner, John Watson. The pair is

hired by Sir Henry Baskerville, new heir to the Baskerville estate, and Dr. Mortimer to

investigate the death of Sir Charles Baskerville who is believed to have died because of a

hound-like-beast that has haunted the family for decades. Holmes accepts the case but has to stay

behind in London to finish up a previous case. Meanwhile, Watson accompanies Sir Henry to

Devonshire to investigate and look for clues ahead. As the story progresses, Holmes reveals that

he has been in Devonshire all this time to solve the case from afar so as to not let the real culprit

be aware of his presence. The real culprit is Jack Stapleton, a relative of the Baskervilles, who

seeks for the inheritance money and tries to claim it through murderous acts. Throughout the

story, Holmes is consistent in his character to be observant, frank, and very deliberate.

Sherlock Holmes encounters new places and people in the story, yet he remains observant of

his surroundings the whole time. This is confirmed as Holmes says, “The world is full of obvious

things which nobody by any chance ever observes.”1 Early on in the story, the observant nature

of Holmes is seen when he finds details regarding the mysterious letter sender of Sir Henry. With

only newspaper cuttings as a lead, Holmes is able to deduce the specific newspaper used and
1
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Hound of the Baskervilles (Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, inc., 1994) page 18. All
subsequent references are noted in the text.

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allows them to find clues about the sender. When Holmes notices that Sir Henry is being

followed by a cab, he is able to memorize the plate number of the cab even when it is moving. A

prominent example of how observant Holmes is when he discovers key information about

Stapleton’s background. Stapleton hides the true relationship with his sister, who is actually his

wife. After learning that Stapleton is actually part of the Baskerville line and a relative of Sir

Henry, Holmes realizes that Stapleton wants only the inheritance and is using the hound for his

personal gain. Holmes is truly a good detective because he is able to observe and connect the

critical details in the case.

The observant nature of Holmes is paired by the fact that he is frank. A strong example is

with his interview with Laura Lyons, a woman who is closely tied with the case. Holmes

interviews Laura with “frankness and directness which considerably amazed her” (10). His

frankness allows him to gather more information on the death of Sir Charles. Holmes is not only

frank to his clients but also to his friend, Watson. He often responds to Watson with sarcasm

especially when Watson makes incomplete or incorrect deductions. Although his sarcasm can

often hurt Watson, Holmes makes up for it by also being frank when Watson does a good job.

While Watson is in Devonshire, he writes detailed reports to Holmes regarding the status of the

case and Holmes compliments him on his “zeal and intelligence” (92). Holmes’ attitude of being

direct and frank with his words positively impacts his work and friendships.

Sherlock Holmes is not only observant and frank, but he is also very deliberate. This is

strongly portrayed in the story when Holmes reveals he has been in Devonshire the whole time.

Knowing they are up against a wise and dangerous man, Holmes decides to trick Watson and

everyone else by saying that he is in London. This allows him to freely gather information

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without Stapleton being defensive of his presence. After identifying Stapleton as the killer,

Holmes does not rush in arresting him right away since he wants to arrest him with “facts and not

legends or rumors” (98). Holmes waits for Stapleton to make his move and thoughtfully plans his

arrest by gathering more evidence that confirms his crimes, calls backup ahead of time to ensure

Sir Henry Baskerville’s safety, and chooses the perfect time after the dinner of Sir Henry in the

Stapleton residence to arrest him. From beginning to end, Holmes remains intentional and

deliberate in all his decisions.

In the end, Sherlock Holmes remains consistent in being observant, frank, and deliberate.

Though Holmes is exposed to various people and places in the story, he remains observant to

those around him which allows him to be sharp in finding clues. Being frank is sometimes a flaw

to Holmes’ relationship with people but it proves to be a necessity in his line of work. Above all,

Holmes embodies deliberateness in his work which allows him to solve difficult mysteries. Some

may misunderstand his ways but he continues to be intentional in his decisions. His character

traits fit well with his work, which gives him every right to be a well-respected detective. It is

nice to see how Holmes stays true to himself throughout the story while being able to help others

too.