How much Holmes is Holmes allowed to be....

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... in your head?

I don't think the question is much about how we all interpret Holmes differently due to our individual circumstances, but it still somehow connects closely to that. Let me explain and then ask you about your thoughts on this. I am not even sure if I am asking the right question here... "xD

I take it you all agree that we all love Holmes for the same or for different reasons, can identify with him in similar or very different levels and have our very own opinions on who he is and what he would do in different situations etc pp...

I think we also agree that the source material is really quite undefined in the way that it allows so many different conclusions to be drawn that seem valid. You can come up with any weird statement and find a way to explain every single sentence in the canon accordingly.
(Mostly present in discussions about the canon characters sexualities, since there is so little definite stuff present (or lots of it, depending on who is arguing xD ))
All those "scholars" have fantastic ideas, sometimes... :rofl: *Thinks of the (New) Annotated SH*

... and stemming from that question about Holmes' sexuality came this thought to me...

I know I identify with Holmes and love him so much because I think he is so similar to me, I feel like I can understand him way better than other characters. But am I not maybe doing it the other way round? Am I making Holmes particularly someone I can love by projecting myself onto him?

So, what I'd like to know of you, friends, is... if you think of your Holmes... how much is he actually representing you? Are you giving Holmes actively (but maybe unconsciously) traits you own yourself? And if you talked to some other fans... and you talk about who you think Holmes is... could it actually tell you just as much about the speaker as about Holmes?
And of course, because this is the least defined area about Holmes, does the sexuality you give Holmes resemble your own? And if it doesn't, why not?


Or am I the only weird fan thinking such weird stuff? xD
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AnticiaJK's avatar
Actually... I can identify way better with Watson. On maaaany levels! XD
Answering your quatestion I think in general though we do project ourselves into characetrs this or that way. But in fact is more like that we just project ourselves into the world, like in abbhidarmic Buddhist: we our bound to only be experience the world not as it is, but as we see it with our clouded mind, tainted with our own experiences, personality and believes. But I know I got off-topic a bit. All I mean is that it's unavoidable to project ourselves into characters. But yeah, some are easier to identify with and some not.
For me Holmes is sometimes a mystery, sometimes feel like I get it, but the next moment I become unsure again... There are several version of Holmes in TV series and some - eve if they are different - are Holmes for me, while some are just... not. I did like the Elementary series on its own but I could never really think of that version as Sherlock Holmes.. Somehow didn't work for me. I felt it's missing the core somehow. While other adaptation seemed fine, even if tweated and twsited somewhat (like teh Guy Ritchie one). I'm fond of Jeremy Brett , the BBC one and the new Russian ones the most. From what i saw so far they all had the core of the eccentricness, all was the "loner" yet longing for the company of one person, all had their interesting moral, yet seemingly uncharing character collided into some strange mix They just all had different approach on it in details. So for me "Sherlock Holmes" can be varied (same with Watson, though I think it's a bit more concrete for me) and I really couldn't define him.

As for the sexuality part. I know there is a lot of arguement about it (especially the BBC one, huh all the drama), but on that aspect I can (and probably do) identify myself with him, much more than with Watson (who seems to have lots of flings and girlfriends). Probably because I don't have particular interest in it, and while I'm not asexual, for me a strong bond itself means much more than sexuality.
And in fact it seems most people (WHATEVER they are) just do identify with him, haha. Hence all the fight, everybody claims they tells the truth, lolz. From straight to gay, asexual to demisexual people all can project themselves into his image because while he seemed to be interested in one women (straight reading), it still didn't seem like a sexual one (asexual reading). And there IS one person who he obviously cares for the most, and it is a man (homosexual readig), but it is because of their deep bond (demisexual reading) not out of a physical desire.
So eventually whether Sherlock is interested in one (or both) of the genders sexually and/or romantically and he just suppresses it or he is not interested in sexuality at all, we wouldn't know for sure. It is just so undefined and vague that just EVERYBODY can identify it with, haha. I haven't realized it so far, thanks for bringing this up. :D