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Sherlock Holmes Stereotypes

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Many cultures uses characters as heros to portray the values of the society to influence others to follow the cultural norms and feel a sense of national pride. Sherlock Holmes, a fictional character first introduced in literature by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, has become a cultural icon and globally popular. The original British portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the Americanized and modernized Sherlock Holmes portrayed in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows differ in their levels of action, plot emphasises, and attitude of Sherlock Holmes. Despite being the same character portrayed by many, the name Sherlock encompasses many portrayals and different personality quirks and values …show more content…

The tales are less serious in tone and concise. The opening tale begins not with an instant introduction to the adventure, but rather a conversation between Watson and Holmes about the former’s recent marriage, reflecting the Victorian value of marriage and family. Sherlock is known for assisting damsels in distress, showcasing chivalry which was an expected trait of British gentlemen. In the story “A Case of Identity”, Holmes is approached by a young Mary Southerland who requests assistance locating her husband, who has gone missing before meeting his soon-to-be mother-in-law, once again emphasising marriage and the importance of the traditional courtship rules of meeting the family and a taboo against eloping. The case ended with no crime committed as “the law cannot...touch [Sutherland’s Stepfather],” (Doyle 54), and is not the only case to conclude with no laws broken. The deaths are far less gruesome and do not include weapons of mass destruction, rather resorting to methods such as falling off rock quarries (83), supposed drowning (82), and snake bites (152). Doyle focuses the novels not on the crimes, but on the deduction, putting a greater emphasis on the intelligence of Holmes instead of the crimes of those Holmes seeks to

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