Today is IWSG Day because it’s the first Wednesday in December. IWSG stands for Insecure Writers Support Group and was founded by Alex J. Cavanaugh. In the words of Captain Alex, the purpose of the IWSG is ‘To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!’ You can follow other IWSG members here or on twitter using the hashtag #IWSG. We also have a Facebook page.
Today’s post is about something Hubby told me as we were driving down the highway. He’s always got tales from his childhood, but I’d never heard this one and found it interesting. He said when he was twelve years old, he was on the school bus headed for home and reading a Sherlock Holmes mystery—A Study in Scarlet. The best he remembered it, Holmes had said he didn’t read fiction because he would be filling his head with useless info. I found Hubby’s memory as well as that statement fascinating, so we searched for the quote. Hubby didn’t have it exactly right but close.
In Chapter 2 of A Study in Scarlet, Dr. Watson is exasperated with Holmes.
Watson thinks: His ignorance was as remarkable as his knowledge. Of modern literature, philosophy, and politics, he appeared to know next to nothing. Upon my quoting Thomas Carlyle, he asked who he was and what he had done.
Further down the page, Holmes explains:
“A man’s brain is like an empty attic. You have to put in whatever furniture you choose. A fool takes in everything he comes across, so that there is no room for anything useful to find a place, or else the useful information gets so jumbled up with everything else that he had difficulty laying his hands upon it. Now the skillful workman is very careful as to what he takes into his brain-attic.
…It is of the highest importance, therefore, not to have useless facts elbowing out the useful ones.”
Hubby said at that point he closed the book and quit reading. I suppose at age twelve, he either took Holmes’ words to heart or considered the book useless information. I have no doubt he’s been strategically placing selective furniture in his brain-attic ever since.
As you probably know, A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle was the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. I find it interesting that a twelve year old kid would be influenced—challenged—maybe insulted—by the above passage written in 1886.
Do you wonder/worry about political correctness? Or that your characters, an idea or specific scene might affect your readers in a negative way? Can you think of a book that made you tear your hair, throw it across the room, or view the author suspiciously?
Please share!
Wow! That’s funny he should take it that way. A couple of times when I didn’t know what to read, I just started from the beginning of the library shelves and grabbed a fiction book. Some of them are so awful and pointless, it was no wonder I never heard of them! I’ve had to give up on reading some because it truly felt as Doyle wrote- filling my head with useless stories.
Hello, Jessica, nice to meet you. I can think of plenty of books I started to read and couldn’t finish, I head for the ending and that’s that. I don’t waste precious time on a book I dislike.
I do and I don’t want to worry about political correctness because it’s gotten so out of hand ~ it’s become preposterous!!!!
Hey Jess, interesting post. I recently started reading a novel sample on Kindle and the author voiced their political views through the character. It was totally unrelated to the story or the character development. I had to put it down. I consider myself an optimist, but have caught myself second-guessing something I wrote based on the world we live in today with everyone getting their feelings hurt.
Amusing that Doyle would use fiction to blast fiction. I’m a fan of irony–not so much of political correctness.
I’m sure the words Sherlock Holmes spoke were true to his character, and not an indictment on fiction. I’m finishing a WIP now, where I’m concerned that my protagonist’s viewpoint will be mistaken for my own.
High quality fiction can be very influential to a child. I decided to be a writer because of the Laura Ingalls Wilder books and the book Little Women. I noticed Beth the musician died young and Jo the writer didn’t. But I do believe in filling the brain with useful things. Like facts. Let’s face it, the events on today’s reality TV show won’t matter 20 years from now, but the events of World War Two aren’t going to change.
Amazing how wrong the good Holmes could be on that issue. Guess he wasn’t so smart after all.
Times change. I’ve watched more than one movie that was funny at the time and now not so much. We are becoming more sensitive toward correctness and it’s a slow process.
Anna from Elements of Writing
My hubz and I have had similar conversations about vows and oaths we made as kids. We are so impressionable at that age, a promise to never do something again can be a result from anything. It seems like reading that book, he missed the real meaning, but he was 12! Credit for even reading it then.
I remember around 15 or so I thought crying was weak and I didn’t want to be a weak girl. I didn’t cry at all for two years at least. Crying can be therapeutic and can show sympathy and empathy for friends when they’re sad. I realized this, eventually. Also, I hate the idea of thinking girls were weak because of emotions we are built with. Down with the patriarchy for instilling those thoughts! 😉
Consider the source. That’s my mantra when I read something I don’t agree with. As far as political correctness, I try to not offend out of courtesy not because someone said I should. You can’t please everyone.
Best wishes,
Diane
IWSG #85
Those Sherlock Holmes books terrified me as a kid but then the Bobbsey Twins books troubled me too. That Scarlett looks interesting, I think I’ll try it again. Keep writing forward!
I swear “worry” is my middle name. I worry about everything. Then my stubborn streak rises up and swallows anything remotely opposite of what my logical and empathic brain feels. Makes for a very interesting life. Yes, a bit bizarre.
I’ve heard of this concept before, about being careful what you take in, what you fill your mind and heart with, etc. Love the image of the brain-attic! 🙂
Have you seen the BBC adaptation of Sherlock, with Benedict Cumberbatch? They brought this up kind of by mentioning that Sherlock doesn’t know anything about pop culture. Also, he refers to diving into his brain for bits of information as his “mind palace.”
Sherlock is very particular and I’m sure Doyle had fun poking fun at fiction, especially the penny dreadfuls that were popular back then.