Today I was reading Elizabeth George’s Book WRITE AWAY as a part of my ‘writing education.’

 

I am finding it very readable and informative. In the section on characters, she described Sherlock Holmes, a favorite character of mine. When I read this paragraph, I was shocked at who it reminded me of in our current culture. Let me list bullet points from her delightful prose on page and she if you can see the similarities.

--the perfect intellect

--virtual machine of cogitation

--emotional black hole of emotions

--incapable of sustaining a relationship with more than one Dr. friend

--he abuses drugs

--quirky habits

--unbearably supercilious

 

George believes that these characteristics make Holmes an unforgettable character. I was shocked and disappointed that I hadn’t thought of this comparison before. Who does it make you think of?

 

I’ll post my thoughts tomorrow.