I continue to enjoy the stories, the pastiches, the literary studies, and the fact that this fictional detective has spawned scores of organizations and clubs around the world. Folks treat him as if he truly existed. They write biographies, cultural studies, and academic treatises about Sherlockian lore. They base their work on the original "canon" of Holmes stories written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. But then the embellishment begins.
It seems to me that the enchantment with Holmes, and with classic mystery fiction, is driven by our innate wish that life's mysteries could be solved by sheer logic after assembling the pertinent information. We seek answers to perplexing questions. We want life to make sense, but often it fails to do so.
"Elementary, my dear Watson," says Holmes in one of his most famous lines. But we mere mortals rarely find it to be that simple. That is relegated to the pages of fiction.
Instead we must settle for something less assured. Holmes is also known for prodding Watson into action with the declaration that "The game is afoot." And off they go into the gaslit streets of London or the eerie moors of the English countryside.
I like that call to action. Perhaps being afoot in the game of life, chasing down clues and gaining small insights is the essence of what it means to be truly human. Whatever one's religious views, we surely agree that there is no earthly master detective available to lead us out into the world in search of life-defining clues. Nor is one needed. We have to go it alone, or with a small company of seekers who like us are looking for what endures and inspires. That's the only way.
We like you, Sherlock, but we don't need you. So put that in your pipe and smoke it!
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I enjoyed your thoughts
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