Debunking the Detective: A Comparative Study on the Narratives Found in The Blanched Soldier, The Lion’s Mane and A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Abstract: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote 56 short stories in the Sherlock Holmes series, yet only two are told from the narrative perspective of Holmes himself. I attempted to compare and contrast Holmes’ narration in The Blanched Soldier and The Lion’sMane withWatson’s narration in A Study in Scarlet. I explored narratological theories and previous research done on Watson’s narration in order to find an explanation to whyWatson’s narration seemed to be the more successful narrative. I found that Watson as a character possesses characteristics which make him more suitable for the role of narrating while Holmes, though not an unsuccessful narrator, cannot recreate the balance between the questioner and the storyteller on his own.