Park, 1

Ruby Park
Professor Harrison
Writing 39B
25 August 2014
Aspects of the Detective Genre
The detective genre is viewed in a different light compared to other genres. Whenever
someone picks up a book, they are simply reading what the author has to give; however, are they
truly engaging with the story? The detective genre requires the reader to interact within the story
as if he or she is experiencing it first hand. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle beautifully demonstrates this
in many of his stories: specifically, A Study in Scarlet, Sign of Four, and in The
Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Doyle creatively constructed these plots in order for his
readers to participate in a journey in which he strategically created. Some of the scholars
excerpts talk about how the detective genre entails much more than just a plot and random
characters. This genre enables the reader to experience a characters words as if it were their
own. Watsons narration does just that and even shows the reader that the bond between him and
Sherlock Holmes is what defines the detective genre. Watsons role is much more than just a
simple character, he is the gateway for the audience to interact with the texts and he is also a
companion to the famous, Sherlock Holmes.
The audiences cooperation is critical when it comes to the detective genre. In Doves
scholarly text, The Different Story, he mentions how the story is a game and that the role of
the reader is both recreational and intellectual; the reader voluntarily accepts the limits, in order
to permit the game to be played (4). He also explains this process in how these types of stories
often generate blanks within the readers mind; these are the unanswered questions that the
Park, 2
reader formulates throughout the storyline. Sir Conan Doyle constantly creates scenarios
throughout his stories in which the reader is forced to think and even predict their own theories
as to what the end result may be. For example, in Doyles novel The Sign of Four, illustrates
these blanks when the reader tries to figure out Bartholomews murderer (Ch 5). Building
scenes that create a sense of thrill or suspense can often lead readers to predict their own ending.
Doyles audience often play the detective role themselves without even knowing it by
unconsciously creating these blanks. Doyle invites his audience to participate in his creative
investigations as if they were in the story and gives them this sense of realism that captures their
attention. The audience interacts within the text through the voice of Watson. By describing,
questioning, and observing things in the book, readers are able to participate in Holmess
adventures.
The relationship between Holmes and Watson influences how the detective genre
develops. Whenever people think about a pipe and a magnifying glass or simply a skillful
detective, most people often think about Sherlock Holmes. However, Holmess popularity did
not immerse until much later in the late nineteenth century. In Paneks scholarly text,
Beginnings, he discusses the progress of Doyles detective stories through universal education.
This shows the evolution of Holmes and how he has reached onto a universal level (9). Panek,
Doyle, and Prigozy agree that Holmes has left his mark in the detective genre not only as the
most perfect reasoning and observing machine that the world has seen (Doyle, A Study in
Scarlet), but also as someone with significant physical characteristics. Doyle depicts Holmes as a
man with superb intellect, cunning, and ingenious. Although Holmes may seem to have
everything figured out, he actually lacks anything regarding to his emotional side. Knowing this,
Doyle purposely creates Watson in order to fill that void. In order for Watson to fill Holmess
Park, 3
emptiness, he demonstrates factors of partnership by showing his loyalty throughout their
adventures together. His loyalty is conveyed in one of Conan Doyles series of short stories,
The Man With the Twisted Lip, when Watson and Holmes surprisingly bumped into each
other at the den he stated how it was hard to refuse Holmes requests because he would ask with
such mastery. This scene depicts Watsons loyalty because he leaves everything he is doing in
order to follow Holmes. Even though Watson has no idea as to what he is getting himself into, he
still pursues Holmes and his mysterious adventures.
Most people believe Sherlock Holmes is the main character of Doyles stories, however
they forget who is even describing these adventures to them. The role of Watson is crucial when
it comes to understanding the plot. Without Watson, the audience is pushed into the dark, full of
confusion. Because Watson has the intellect of an average person, readers are able to relate and
interact within the text. In Doyles novel, Sign of Four, Watson is confused as to what the
thorn may mean; however, Holmes being the erudite man he is, explains how [the mystery]
clears every instant(Ch 5). Binyon also agrees in his scholarly text, Murder Will Out: The
Detective in Fiction that Watson and his narration for the audience is something that is very
important to Conan Doyles stories. Binyon describes Watson as having a prosaic, stolid
personality that gives them a reality and a plausibility which they would otherwise lack, he
gives more evidence on how Watsons narration is key to the detective genre (10). Watsons
voice describes not only the setting, but also every small detail and process. This engages the
reader to create what Dove calls blanks and to have Watson ask and answer those questions
through his own voice. Both Dove and Binyon can agree to the fact that Watsons role is crucial
not only for Holmes, but for the audience as well.
Park, 4
All in all, the uniqueness of the detective genre is its ability to merge the reader and the
text into one. Combining the two produces a clear understand of what the author wants the
audience Sir Arthur Conan Doyle provides the reader with the key to unlock the truth and
mysteries with the help of one of his characters. The partnership between Holmes and Watson
helps shape the detective genre by filling in the parts they may be missing. It is no wonder that
this type of genre has been able to stay popular since the Victoria era.






Works Cited

Binyon, T.J. "Murder Will Out": The Detective in Fiction. Oxford: Oxford University Press,
1989. Print.
Conan Doyle, Arthur. Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes: Adventure #6: The Man With the Twisted
Lip. Lit2Go. PDF.
Conan Doyle, Arthur. A Study in Scarlet. Print.
Conan Doyle, Arthur. The Sign of the Four. Seattle: Amazon Digital Services, 2013. Kindle
eBook. Online.
Delamater, Jerome and Ruth Prigozy, eds. Theory and Practice of Classic Detective
Fiction. New York: Praeger, 1997. Print.
Park, 5
Dove, George N. The Reader and the Detective Story. Bowling Green, OH: Bowling Green State
University Popular Press, 1997. Print.
Panek, Leroy. An Introduction to the Detective Story. Bowling Green, OH: Bowling Green State
University Popular Press, 1987. Print.