Valley of Fear: Chapters 1-4
The beginning of this novella definitely challenged my expectations. I had little previous knowledge of Sherlock Holmes beyond his famous persona as a detective, so the structure came as a surprise. I was not expecting the narration to be done in first-person by Watson, a character himself in the story. This choice by Doyle makes it more difficult for me as a reader to discern the truth, mostly due to the interesting relationship between Holmes and Watson.
Looking deeper into their interactions, there are strong tones of friendship and respect, but also some hostility. Certain remarks and insults could be a sign of an exceedingly close bond, but it could also show underlying resentment. Watson paints a reverence for Holmes in all the characters he describes, but whether this comes from his own bias toward the great detective is yet unknown. I suspect that underlying jealousy of the detectives abilities, which could make him seem arrogant, could lead to tensions as the story unfolds.
I am intersted to see where the story goes: there must be ties between certain individuals such as Cecil, the murdered Douglas, Holmes' informant Porlock, and his master Professor Moriarty, which once uncovered will reveal the murderer. I do not trust Cecil.
Your remarks here are very interesting. Firstly, I think that we have to take Watson as a reliable narrator. The aspects of Holmes that make him arrogant are clear- words and actions that most people deem arrogant. Watson may have feelings about Holmes one way or another, but those do not affect the dialogue of the book. In your second paragraph you pose an "either/or" regarding their relationship. I think your first inclination is correct. Holmes and Watson are dear friends and coworkers and their relationship is rocky, but symbiotic nonetheless. They each have their quirks, especially Holmes, but I don't think we should let this taint our view of their extremely strong bond. I think your point about Watson being jealous could definitely bear legitimacy, but I do not think that translates to an unfair portrayal of Holmes by our narrator. I think he is just arrogant, and Watson, along with everyone else around Holmes, realizes that.
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