However, Watson finds himself unable to deduce what Holmes does for a living. The narrator devotes an entire chapter to “The Science of Deduction,” in which Watson makes his own observations of Holmes, attempting to determine the nature of his roommate’s occupation based on the strengths and weaknesses in Holmes’ knowledge. The first interaction between Watson and the consulting detective represents the essence of the Holmes-Watson dynamic throughout the story: Holmes is attentive to clues to which others are oblivious, allowing him to quickly deduce information (in this case, Watson’s recent return from Afghanistan), and Watson is astonished by Holmes’ abilities. Much of the novel (all but five chapters out of fourteen) is presented as “reminiscences” from John Watson’s journal, a record of his observations of both the case and Holmes. Observation and deduction are the lifeblood of A Study in Scarlet, especially in terms of the novel’s format and characterization of Sherlock Holmes.
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