PROVEN

By Kenyon Geetings

Proving oneself: a task that has confronted humans since the beginning of time. Whether you believe in the Bible, where Adam and Eve ate the apple so that they, too, could be just as good as God, or whether you believe in evolution, where humanity evolved to become more skilled in our abilities on earth, the world can unanimously agree that proving one's capabilities or skills is crucial to how we live on earth. Conan Doyle's The Hound of the Baskervilles certainly agrees with this narrative as we see this trait played out several ways throughout this mystery. On the surface, this story is about solving the supernatural mystery of a glowing demonic hound haunting the small town of Devonshire. But taking a closer glance, we see that the story truly revolves around several characters attempting to establish that they are worthy in their own way, whether that is through gaining respect from their partner, becoming the best detective in the world, or solely showing that their intentions were pure. While one might assume that Conan Doyle's The Hound of the Baskervilles is just a simple mystery story about proving a murderer guilty, I argue that it is truly about proving one's self.

One of the first characters we see attempting to seek validation from his partner is none other than the narrator, Watson. From the very first chapter where Holmes asks him “Well, Watson, what do you make of it?” our narrator never stops seeking the approval of his partner (Doyle 18). Near the beginning of the story, we see Watson attempt to apply the methods that he has learned as he tries to reconstruct the characteristics of a visitor from the only piece of evidence left behind, a walking stick. At first, Watson appears to be doing quite well in his judgments, gaining praise from Holmes, but this admiration gets to his head a little too quickly. It's this blindness in following in his master's footsteps that causes him to miss the correct observation and instead only make an “Interesting, though elementary” conclusion (19). Some might argue that Watson is simply just not as good of a detective as Holmes, and they would not be far from the truth, but the reality is that Watson is trying too hard to be like Holmes instead of just trying to be himself. Instead of learning to use his own techniques and understanding of how the world works, Watson becomes “proud… to think that I had so far mastered [Holmes's] system as to apply it in a way which earned his approval” (19). Watson's goal of trying to prove that he is as good at detective work as his partner is ultimately what leads to his downfall. Instead of attempting to get better at his detective work and try to solve the mystery himself, he constantly complains that he wishes Holmes was with him to guide him in the right direction. In his reports back to Baker Street, we once again see Watson pursue the acceptance of his partner when he writes “you must acknowledge, my dear Holmes, that I have done you very well in the matter of a report” (66). It is easy to see how Watson misses the great reveal of the mystery when we begin to understand what his ultimate goal truly is. We see that Watson is not secure in his own identity and he is incapable of accepting himself for who he is because he has not established what his identity means to him. His failure to believe in himself causes him to become reliant on Holmes to eventually solve the mystery of the murderer.

While Holmes is ultimately the one to solve the mystery of who was behind the hound of the baskervilles, that is not to say he does not doubt himself along the way. While at surface level Holmes might seem like he has everything going for him and his life is all put together, he ,too, struggles with his true identity. In fact, it's mostly because of how well known he is that he feels he has to constantly live up to his name. Matters are only made worse when we see the interaction between Dr. Mortimer and Holmes near the beginning of the story. It should be no surprise that Holmes is not impressed when Dr. Mortimer tells him that he is “the second highest expert in Europe” (21). This is a massive attack on Holmes' reputation, and he is not pleased with being known as being the second best. Mortimer's criticism causes Holmes to take on the challenge, but not before telling everyone about the valuable work that he is already doing. Holmes states that he is glad that Mortimer has brought this case to his attention, but that he was preoccupied with the “little affair of the Vatican cameos, and in [his] anxiety to oblige the Pope” (26). Holmes is adamant that his work is of very high importance and that what he does is not to be considered “second rate.” We finally see that one of the only reasons Holmes even took on this job was because he had a hunch that it would be “one of the most singular and sensational crimes of modern times” (89). Another way where we see Holmes attempting to prove himself and his identity is whenever he makes fun of Watson. While this is certainly not a good ethical way to gain respect, it can be quite effective to the right audience. Holmes might be a little narcissistic when he tells Watson that it is “a pleasure to exercise any small powers which I possess at your expense” (30). It appears that Holmes loves making fun of his partner for his own personal gain, where in turn, he gets to be the one who ultimately solves the “trivial” mystery. The fact that Holmes is a detective only makes it more ironic that he is focused more on his own identity and not on the identity of the person he is investigating. One of Holmes' greatest defects is the fact that in order to solve the mystery himself and prove that he is a worthy detective, he often refuses to share his plans with those around him, including his partner Watson. While Watson argues that it is partly because of his caution to never “take any chances” (90), I think Holmes is more concerned with his public image rather than taking any chances. In the end, Holmes is definitely more worried about proving himself as an amazing detective than he is about solving the mysteries.

While Holmes and Watson are busy trying to prove that they are worthy detectives, some other characters in the story are also busy trying to prove their worth at different occupations. One example we see is Mr. Frankland, whom we see briefly, trying to prove that he is a worthy lawyer. Mr. Frankland will stop at nothing to uphold what he believes in, and in this case, it is to “act entirely from a sense of public duty” (75). It is clear that Frankland loves the attention and bringing matters “before the attention of the public” (75) as he hopes to make his name known as one of the best lawyers in Devonshire. Another example of someone proving that they are not just a simple pawn is Laura Lyons, the disowned daughter of Mr. Frankland, who was also abandoned by her husband. At first Laura Lyons refused to give up information regarding why she wrote a letter to Sir Charles and what her involvement with Mr. Stapleton was. She later realized that there was no sense in defending a man who had used her as a “tool in his hands,” and in order to prove that she meant no harm, she promised “there is nothing which I shall hold back” (89). Making amends with what she had unknowingly done, Lyons was quick to show that she was innocent in the involvement of Sir Charles' death, and that she would not be held captive to Mr. Stapleton's requests any more. Another example of someone proving that they will not be coerced is Mrs. Stapleton, as once she is freed of her husband's grasp, she quickly proves that she wants nothing to do with him. As she was telling Holmes of where her husband had run off to, it is clear that she was eager to atone for what she had done in the past as “her eyes and teeth gleamed with fierce merriment” (94). Throughout the story several characters receive their chance to show the world who they truly are, and in doing so, prove themselves to be capable in one way or another.

Proving yourself is an innate human desire. Without knowing your true identity and what you stand for, you are ultimately incapable of proving yourself, and you might even become like Dr. Mortimer, “unambitious, absent-minded” and possibly the possessor of a favorite dog (19). Without a sense of purpose and identity, humans lack the ability to have defining characteristics. Conan Doyle's story is no exception since every character must define themselves for who they want to be so they can procure a purpose. So while the main plot might at first glance appear to be about proving a murderer guilty, several arguments can be made for why it is ultimately about proving oneself.