AN ANALYSIS ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
SHERLOCK HOLMES AND MYCROFT HOLMES
IN THE GREEK INTERPRETER CASE
A SARJANA PENDIDIKAN THESISPresented as Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements to Obtain the SarjanaPendidikan Degree
in English Language Education
By
Yohana Triana Ina Weran Student Number: 141214094
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTEMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION
FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
YOGYAKARTA 2018
i
AN ANALYSIS ON THE SIBLING RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN SHERLOCK HOLMES AND MYCROFT HOLMES
IN THE GREEK INTERPRETER CASE
A SARJANA PENDIDIKAN THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements to Obtain the Sarjana Pendidikan Degree
in English Language Education
By
Yohana Triana Ina Weran Student Number: 141214094
ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE AND ARTS EDUCATION FACULTY OF TEACHERS TRAINING AND EDUCATION
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA
iv
DEDICATION PAGE
This thesis is dedicated for: My late father, Mikhael Hali Libur
My mother, Agnes Abong Geroda My sister, Margareta Meme Mukin
My amazing friends, Asthy, Ping, Tyas, Denza, Sheilla, Finna, Bintang My lovely friends Vita and Jason
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When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever
remains, however improbable, must be truth
Sherlock Holmes
Life is like riding a bicycle to keep your balance you
must keep moving
Albert Einstein
What strange creatures brothers are
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ABSTRACT
Weran, Yohana Triana Ina. (2018). An Analysis on the Relationship between Sherlock Holmes and Mycroft Holmes in The Greek Interpreter Case. Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program, Department of Language and Arts, Faculty of Teachers Training and Education, Sanata Dharma University.
This thesis analyzes one of the fifty-six short stories of the Adventure of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle entitled The Greek Interpreter
(1893). In this story, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle reveals about Sherlock Holmes’s family member especially his brother, Mycroft Holmes. The sibling relationship between Sherlock and Mycroft is worth investigating because of the character. The character of Sherlock Holmes is known as a weird person because of his method in solving the case. He makes use of specific techniques, such as analyzing footprints, faces (animal or human), corpse temperature, corneas, pulses, snow-covered field or dropped cigarettes ash and other clues to build a case. Given his unique character, it is unsurprising that readers are intrigued by the presence of a sibling in the life of this very famous character.
This research focuses on analyzing the sibling relationship between Sherlock Holmes and Mycroft Holmes. According to Furman and Buhrmester (1985) there are four dimensions of sibling relationship, yet the researcher only focuses on two dimensions warmth/closeness and status/power. The reason is warmth closeness is known to be the important part in sibling relationship which show the intimacy and positive-negative relationship. Then, status/power is the main dimension which shown the dominance of the older brother to the younger brother. In analyzing the sibling relationship, the researcher uses the conversations as the main data. Moreover, the main data are used to answer the research question. The research question is how is the sibling relationship described in Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes relationship in the Greek Interpreter case?
The psychological approach was used in this research in order to figure out the research question. This research was considered as a formalis criticism which means to determine its meaning and focusing on literary element which is fiction story such as plot, setting, and the character. The sources are from the novel The Greek Interpreter and the journals of sibling relationship.
Based on the analysis there was found seven conversations which indicated the dimension of warmth/closeness. Furthermore, there are fourteen conversations which indicated the dimension of relative status/power. It can be concluded that the sibling relationship between Sherlock and Mycroft is really portrayed in this story from the dimensions of warmth/closeness and status/power. Moreover, this research is expected to give some contributions to some parties. For example, it can be used for English lecturer to improve students’ vocabularies. Also, the novel can be used in analyzing the humanity value based on the literature work.
Keywords: sibling relationship, Sherlock Holmes, Mycroft Holmes, The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes and the Greek Interpreter.
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ABSTRAK
Weran, Yohana Triana Ina. (2018). An Analysis on the Relationship between Sherlock Holmes and Mycroft Holmes in the Greek Interpreter Case. Yogyakarta: English Language Education Study Program, Department of Language and Arts Education, Faculty of Teachers Training and Education, Sanata Dharma University.
Skripsi ini menganalisis salah satu cerita pendek Sherlock Holmes dari lima puluh enam cerita pendek lainnya oleh Sir Arthur Conan Doyle yang berjudul The Greek Interpreter (1983). Dalam cerita ini Sir Arthur Conan Doyle mengungkapkan keluarga Sherlock Holmes terlebih khusus kakak tertuanya. Selain itu, hubungan saudara antara Sherlock dan Mycroft layak diselidiki karena karakter itu sendiri. Karakter Sherlock Holmes dikenal sebagai orang aneh karena metodenya dalam memecahkan kasus. Metode tersebut adalah semiotika medis yang memungkinkan diagnosis meskipun penyakit tidak dapat diamati secara langsung diketahui berdasarkan gejala atau tanda yang dangkal, sering tidak relevan dengan mata orang awam. Dia menggunakan teknik-teknik khusus, seperti menganalisis jejak kaki, wajah (hewan atau manusia), suhu mayat, kornea, kacang-kacangan, bidang tertutup salju atau menjatuhkan abu rokok dan petunjuk lain untuk membangun sebuah kasus. Mengingat karakternya yang unik, tidak mengherankan bahwa pembaca tertarik dengan kehadiran saudara kandung dalam kehidupan karakter yang sangat terkenal ini.
Penelitian ini berfokus pada menganalisis hubungan saudara antara Sherlock Holmes dan Mycroft Holmes. Menurut Furman dan Buhrmester (1985) ada empat dimensi hubungan saudara kandung, namun peneliti hanya berfokus pada dua dimensi kehangatan/kedekatan dan status/kekuatan. Dalam menganalisis hubungan saudara, peneliti menggunakan percakapan sebagai data utama. Selain itu, data utama digunakan untuk menjawab rumusan masalah. rumusan masalah tersebut adalah bagaimana teori hubungan saudara yang dijelaskan dalam hubungan Sherlock dan Mycroft Holmes dalam kasus Interpreter Yunani?
Pendekatan psikologi digunakan dalam penelitian ini untuk menjawab rumusan masalah. Penelitian ini dianggap sebagai penelitian formalis yang mana untuk fokus dalam unsur sastra seperti alur, tempat, dan tokoh, yang sumbernya berasal dari novel The Greek Interpreter dan jurnal hubungan saudara kandung.
Berdasarkan analisis ditemukan tujuh percakapan yang diindikasikan sebagai dimensi kehangatan / kedekatan. Selanjutnya, ada empat belas percakapan yang ditunjukkan sebagai dimensi status / kekuatan relatif. Dapat disimpulkan bahwa hubungan saudara antara Sherlock dan Mycroft benar-benar digambarkan dalam cerita ini dari dimensi kehangatan / kedekatan dan status / kekuatan relatif. Selain itu, penelitian ini diharapkan dapat memberikan kontribusi kepada beberapa pihak. Misalnya, dapat digunakan untuk dosen bahasa Inggris untuk meningkatkan kosakata siswa. Juga novel dapat digunakan dalam menganalisis nilai kemanusiaan berdasarkan karya sastra.
Kata Kunci: sibling relationship, Sherlock Holmes, Mycroft Holmes, The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes and the Greek Interpreter
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
First of all I would like to thank Jesus Christ because of his bless and his continuous guidance and showers of blessings and mercy in every step throughout the process of this thesis.
Second of all, I would like to thank Bapak Markus Budiraharjo, S.Pd., M.Ed. Ed.D as my advisor and also father in the process of making this thesis. He gave me a lot of information and advice in finishing this thesis, without his help I think I would not be able to finish this thesis. I also thank all PBI Lecturers for their guidance during my study in PBI.
My deepest gratitude is sent to my late father Mikhael Hali Libur and my beloved mother Agnes Abong Geroda because of their patience and advice for me finishing my study. I also thank my beloved sister Margareta Meme Mukin
who always brings joy and spirit during the process of finishing my thesis. Love and affection from them mean a lot for me.
My special gratitude goes to my friends Astini Agun and Silfiyani Fauzi
who also give me an advice and support during my journey in Sanata Dharma University. They give me a lot of love and various feelings which help me to develop my personality and make me more mature to face my problems.
I also thank my beloved classmate who also joined the same Proposal Seminar class, Adhiningtyas Dyah Hartami, for giving her advice and support during the process of finishing this thesis and also often gave me food and beverage when we finished our class. I received much love from her.
My sweetest gratitude goes to my Proposal Seminar class; Erni, Shella,
Herman, Kris, Anggi, Christin, Jeny, Erlia, Della, and Gita for their suggestions and advice in every meeting of the class. Since they gave me a lot of information, I can finished my thesis well.
xi
I also warmly thankful for my entire classmate, class D 2014; especially for Jason, Amara, Sheilla, Finna, Bintang, Edo, Ardi, Erwin, Denza, Vivi,
Andre, Della, for their kindness, caring, support, and patience.
Next, I would like to thank my PPL friends who also gave me positive energy during the process of PPL in BOSA Senior High School Nanda, Tika, Friska, Fe, Monik, Suhardy, Aghata, Alfi, Asih, Dara,Gio,Devina, Flo,Eben,
Donny,and Putri.
I also would like to say my very best gratitude to my KKN group,
Vianney, ka Anton, ka Aji, ka Reti, ka Dita, ka Icak, ka Desi, ka Susan, for their motivation, kindness, caring, love, and cheerfulness.
Last but not least I deliver my best thank to all my friends in English Language Education Study Program batch 2014 your support was worth more than I can express.
xii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page TITLE PAGE ... i APPROVAL PAGES ... ii DEDICATION ... iv MOTTO ... v
STATEMENT OF WORK’S ORIGINALITY ... vi
PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI ... vii
ABSTRACT ... viii
ABSTRAK ... ix
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ... x
TABLE OF CONTENTS ... xii
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION A. Research Background... 1
B. Research Question ... 5
C. Significance of the study ... 5
D. Definition terms ... 6
1. Analysis ... 6
2. Definition of sibling relationship ... 7
3. Sherlock Holmes ... 8
4. Mycroft Holmes ... 9
5. The Greek Interpreter ... 10
CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE A. Review of Related Studies ... 14
B. Review of Related Theories ... 16
1. Warmth/closeness ... 18
2. Relative status/power ... 18
3. Conflict ... 19
xiii
C. Review on the Historical Background ... 20
D. Theoretical Framework ... 22
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY A. Object of the Study... 24
B. Approach of the Study ... 26
C. Method of the Study ... 27
CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS A. Characteristics of Sherlock Holmes ... 29
B. Characteristics of Mycroft Holmes ... 30
C. Warmth/closeness ... 31
1. Intimacy and companionship ... 31
2. Perceived similarity and admiration... 34
D. Status/power ... 36 CHAPTER V CONCLUSIONS A. Conclusions ... 44 B. Implications ... 46 C. Suggestions ... 47 REFERENCES ... 48 APPENDIX ... 50
1
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
This chapter discusses the background of the study, research question, the significance of the study, and definition of terms. The background of this study presents the reason why the researcher writes this study. Furthermore, the research question states the question which needs to be answered in the study. Moreover, the significance of this study is to discuss the contribution of the study. Besides, the definition of terms presents the specific key terms mentioned in the title and research question
A. Research Background
Literature is pieces of writing that are valued as works of art, especially novels, plays and poems. According to Sartre (1988) the definition of literature begins with two parts of writing which oppose an instrumental of prose to the poetic attitude and more focuses on the language. Furthermore, there are four main literary genres of literature which are poetry, fiction, nonfiction and drama. In this study, the researcher analyzes a novel which is the part of fiction story. A novel itself means a fictional prose narrative of steady paragraph (Crane, 2007). The stories from the novel tempt us to connect with the explanation of larger meanings, values, and phenomena. Moreover, there are five elements in the novel story which are plot, theme, setting, point of view and character. In this study the researcher focuses on the character. Piper et al. (2017) explain that characters are
the media that make the reader come to terms with new kinds of social experience. The character is also important in the story of a novel, because it can attach people to read the novel. Furthermore, the characters that will be analyzed in this study are Sherlock Holmes and Mycroft Holmes. In order to analyze the characters, the researcher used the theory of characterization which explain about the process by which the writer reveals the personality of the character. There are two ways to reveal the personality of Sherlock Holmes and Mycroft Holmes which are direct characterization and indirect chracterization. Direct characterization tells the reader what the personality of the character through the other characters. For example the character of Sherlock Holmes is told by Watson:
During my long and intimate acquaintance with Mr. Sherlock Holmes I had never heard him refer to his relations, and hardly ever to his own early life. This reticence upon his part had increased the somewhat inhuman effect which he produced upon me, until sometimes I found myself regarding him as an isolated phenomenon, a brain without a heart, as deficient in human sympathy as he was pre-eminent in intelligence. His aversion to women and his disinclination to form new friendships were both typical of his unemotional character, but not more so than his complete suppression of every reference to his own people.
(The Greek Interpreter, p. 1)
The example above explains that the author directly tells the reader about the personality of Sherlock through Watson.
Meanwhile, indirect characterization shows the things can reveal the personality of the character. There are five different methods of indirect characterization. First, speech which means what does the character say or how does the character speak. Second, thoughts which mean what is revealed through the character’s private thought or feeling. Third, effect on the others toward the character which means what is revealed through the character’s effect on the other
people or how do other character feel or behave in reaction to the character. Fourth, action which means what does the character do or how does the character behave. The last is looks which mean how does the character look like or how does the character dress.
The character of Sherlock Holmes has been explained by Watson through his statement in the opening of the novel. Sherlock is not really friendly and he is one of the introvert person, therefore he does not have many friends. However, the contribution of his brother in his life makes this character show the affection toward his brother. Having an older brother means that he must respects or even give in to his older brother. However, if we look at the personality of Sherlock Holmes, we may assume that he is not too close to his brother, he prefers to talk about the cases rather than his brother. Furthermore, the story of the Greek Interpreter can be said as an interesting novel because it reveals the other side of Sherlock’s personality towards his brother and this novel is the first novel which is depict about the cooperation between Sherlock Holmes and Mycroft Holmes.
Furthermore, as the researchers who study about the psychology of sibling relationship, Furman and Buhrmester (1985) explain that the relationship between sibling shows an unusual role in the life of the brotherhood. The sibling relationship is found to be an integral part that serves an emotional bond between siblings. It can be form as a source of companionship, help, or emotional support. As Furman and Buhrmester (1985) observe, older siblings may play some roles, such as caretakers, teachers, and models, in the relationship with their younger brother. In sum, siblings may gain many social and cognitive skills from the
relationship in their family, which in turn will certainly be central to their healthy development into maturity.
Apparently, sibling relationship also appears in the fiction stories, which are those from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930). He is one of the most renowned detective writers to date, whose major character, i.e. Sherlock Holmes, appeared in many detective novels at the turn of the 20th century. In the novel entitled the Greek Interpreter (1893), Sherlock Holmes is told to be in line with his brother, Mycroft Holmes. Sherlock Holmes is a consultant detective, whose expertise in observation of complex cases is no doubt. Readers are intrigued by his wits, creativity, and resourceful problem-solving skills. According to Ginzburg (1980), Sherlock Holmes has the outstanding capacities in analyzing footprints, faces (animal or human), corpse temperature, corneas, pulses, snow covered fields or dropped cigarettes ash and other clues easily. Aside from the writer who had been a doctor, Sherlock Holmes's abilities are actually inherited from his parents. According to Wiltse (1998), Holmes abilities are not only presented as a result of long hours of study and practice, in conformity with the bourgeois idea of self-improvement, training, and market equity in useful industries. Yet, Holmes' ability is also hereditary, like his brother Mycroft.
This study is set to investigate the novel entitled the Greek Interpreter as an object of the study. A detective novel published at the turn of the century, the novel promises some insights that serve a good value to investigate. The reason why the researcher tends to analyze the sibling relationship between Sherlock Holmes and Mycroft Holmes is that of the character. The character of Sherlock
Holmes can be said as an abnormal by the people around him. Watson describes him as an automaton, a calculating machine with somthing positively inhuman in him. Even sometimes, the composure of Sherlock Holmes regarded as a machine rather than a man. However, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle gives the new story about the companionship between Sherlock and Mycroft in the story of The Greek Interpreter. The contribution of a brother in the life of Sherlock Holmes who has a high level in deduction and observation makes this story worth investigating. In explaining the sibling relationship between Sherlock and Mycroft, the researcher used the theory from Furman and Buhrmester (1985) about the dimensions of sibling relationships. As well as how this theory describes the relationship between Sherlock and Mycroft.
B. Research Question
Based on the background mentioned earlier, one research question is formulated as follows:
1. How is the character of Sherlock Holmes described in the dimension of sibling relationship between him and his brother in the novel of The Greek Interpreter?
C. Significance of the Study
The significance of the study is to describe the character of Sherlock Holmes through the dimension of the sibling relationship between him and Mycroft Holmes and also the novel can be useful to students in improving the
ability of reading literary work especially English novel. Moreover, Piper et al. (2017) explain that characters are the media that make the reader come to terms with new kinds of social experience. The character also important in the story of a novel, because it can attached people to read the novel. So does in the Sherlock Holmes’ story, a rigid attitude and the composure in solving the case with the high level of genius in obervation and deduction is the main reason why people want to read this novel. Furthermore, the personality of Sherlock Holmes is tried to be placed in the concept of humanity in relation to the sibling relationship with his older brother by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. However, Sherlock Holmes did not appear in the vacuum world, he appeared in a specific technological world. In the family, Sherlock grew up as a human being who has a sibling that has an impact on his life.
D. Definition of Terms 1. Analysis
The definition of analysis is the detailed study or examination of something in order to understand more about it (“Analysis”). While the analysis in the literature is the structured of literary analysis focused predominately on the theme, plot, setting, and character which is used by the author to create the true meaning of their work. The goal of the literary analysis is to broaden and deepen the understanding of a work in literature (Sierra College, 2017).
2. Definition of Sibling Relationship
Cicirelli (1995) describes that sibling relationship denote by two children in family who experience some degree of common biological origin (full siblings and half-siblings), define legally (stepsiblings and adoptive siblings), and some degree of communication or socialization to the norm of sibling peculiarly culture. Cicirelli (1985) also added that sibling relationship is the total of the interactions (physical, verbal, and nonverbal communication) of two or more individual who experience knowledge, perceptions, attitudes, beliefs, and feelings regarding to each other. Whereas, Freud (1922) describes the sibling relationship as someone who is invariably involved as a model, helper, and also an opponent.
Moreover, sibling relationships have four dimensions such as warmth/closeness, relative status/ power, rivalry, and conflict. Furthermore, the effective quality of sibling relationships also can be various for example sibling relationship can be close or distant, harmonious or conflicted, cooperative or competitive. Moreover, relative status and power refer to the degree and direction of an imbalance in the relationship. While, warmth or closeness show the range of various qualities such as intimacy, pro-social behavior, companionship, admiration, perceived similarity, and affection. On the other hand, conflict can be manifested in terms of quarreling, antagonism, and competition.
3. Sherlock Holmes
The character of Sherlock Holmes is created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Actually, Sherlock Homes is created from Conan Doyle’s own professor name Dr.
Joseph Bell. The professor could diagnose patient from minor observation that mean from the little thing (Jensen, 2014). Sherlock Holmes was by all accounts born on 6th January 1854 and for more than a century his name has been known in every country of the world and not only his name, but his appearance too. The hawk-like features and piercing eyes; the dressing-gown and pipe; the deerstalker cap and magnifying glass - these details are so familiar that if he were to appear amongst us today we should know him at once. However he is still a mysterious figure, as wrapped in mystery as the crimes he tried to solve and as in most legends it is often difficult to separate fact from fiction. According to the published stories which first appeared in the Strand Magazine in 1891 and which have since been translated into every language, he practiced as a consulting detective between 1881-1904, while living at 221b Baker Street with his friend and colleague Doctor John H. Watson.
Sherlock Holmes’ personality also explained by one of his enemy Irene Adler. She said that Sherlock Holmes was the most perfect reasoning and observing machine that the world has seen, but he was not without feelings, because he appreciated the opera and classical music. He was however reserved towards women, because he felt their influence a distraction to his work, so he would not allow himself (as Watson did) to become swayed by their romantic allure. Nevertheless, Holmes took an interest in a Miss Irene Adler, whom he always referred to as 'the woman'. She was born in New Jersey in 1858 and outwitted him in the case of A Scandal in Bohemia.
Dr. Watson also described Sherlock to be the worst tenant in London, who keeps his cigars in the coal-scuttle, his tobacco in the toe-end of a Persian slipper, and his letters transfixed by a jack-knife to the center of the wooden mantelpiece. Strange visitors, chemical experiments and late-night violin playing also tried the patience of their landlady Mrs. Hudson. He was however the great detective's loyal companion and Holmes was aware of his value. He said to him on one occasion: “it may be that you are not yourself luminous, but you are a conductor of light.”
4. Mycroft Holmes
Mycroft is the older brother of Sherlock Holmes by seven years. He appears or mentioned in four stories of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle such as “The Greek Interpreter”, “The Final Problem”, “The Empty House”, and “The Bruce-Partington Plans”. The personality of Mycroft Holmes is explained by Sherlock Holmes in his conversation with Dr. Watson:
“… I said that he was my superior in observation and deduction. If the art of the detective began and ended in reasoning from an arm-chair, my brother would be the greatest criminal agent that ever lived. But he has no ambition and no energy. He will not even go out of his way to verify his own solution, and would rather be considered wrong than take the trouble to prove himself right Again and again I have taken a problem to him, and have received an explanation which has afterwards proved to be the correct one. And yet he was absolutely incapable of working out the practical points..."
(The Greek Interpreter, p. 1).
The statement is to describe Mycroft Holmes’ personality from Sherlock’s point of view. Furthermore, the character of Mycroft Holmes is described by Watson when they meet each other for the first time.
“Mycroft Holmes was a much larger and stouter man than Sherlock. His body was absolutely corpulent, but his face, though massive, had preserved something of the sharpness of expression which was so remarkable in that of his brother. His eyes, which were of a peculiarly light, watery gray, seemed to always retain that far-away, introspective look which I had only observed in Sherlock’s when he was exerting his full power.”
(The Greek Interpreter, p. 2).
5. The Greek Interpreter
The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter began with a discussion between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson about the hereditary traits. Previously, Watson has always assumed that Holmes is unique, an only child, with singular capabilities. However, Sherlock is quick to set his friend straight with the factual information that he has an older brother called Mycroft. Sherlock considers that the intellect of Mycroft outstrips his own, but the detective also recognizes that Mycroft does not have the energy to go along. Mycroft is perfectly comfortable to be considered wrong, rather than to make the efforts to prove that he is right.
In the story, Sherlock has on occasion sought out the advice of his brother by visiting Mycroft at the Diogenes Club. This time Sherlock has been sought by Mycroft for Mr. Melas, a Greek interpreter and neighbor of Mycroft. A man by the name of Harold Latimer had sought out the services of Mr. Melas, to act as a Greek interpreter. Mr. Melas escorted in a blacked-out cab and although told the destination was to be Kensington, the journey lasted for longer than it should. Latimer also produced a bludgeon, with the implicit threat of violence. Latimer would tell Mr. Melas that he would be rewarded for his services, but also demanded future silence from the interpreter. After a couple of hours, the
blacked-out cab eventually pulls up at a large expensively decorated house. At the house, Mr. Melas encounters a second man, Wilson Kemp, and soon there if more evidence about just how irregular this interpreting job was going to be. A third man was brought into the presence of the Greek interpreter, but initially the mouth of this man was covered in sticking plaster. Mr. Melas was asked to ask the anonymous man certain questions, but as Mr. Melas realized that Latimer and Kemp were both ignorant of the Greek language, the interpreter managed to interpose his own questions as well.
From his own questions Mr. Melas discovered that the captive man was named Paul Kratides, a Greek man who Latimer and Kemp were trying to make sign some papers. Paul Kratides had been in England for three weeks, but had no idea where he currently was. At that moment the questioning was interrupted when a woman entered the room. This woman immediately called out to Kratides, calling him by his first name. Paul Kratides then ripped off his mouth guard, and called the woman Sophy. Paul and Sophy were quickly separated, and then Mr. Melas was escorted from the house into the blacked-out cab again.
Another long drive ensued, but rather than being returned home, Mr. Melas was dropped off on Wands worth Common. The Greek interpreter did not dawdle and immediately went to gain the advice of Mycroft Holmes. Then, the advertisements directly had been placed in the papers. The ads asking for information about a Greek lady staying in England, or a man named Paul Katrides. The problem had been half accomplished by Mycroft before Sherlock Holmes, and Mycroft brings the next development, for he has had an answer to
the placed newspaper notices. There was the informant named Mr. Davenport. He told that Sophy is staying at house known as the Myrtles in Beckenham. With some urgency plans are made to go to Beckenham, it is decided to get Inspector Gregson to join them. It was also thought a good idea to collect Mr. Melas, in case a Greek interpreter is required. When they arrived at the Melas residence, they found that the Greek interpreter has already been picked up by a cab, something that did not mean well for the safety of the interpreter. Then, when Holmes brothers, Watson and Gregson arrived at the Myrtles it appeared that the house has been abandoned evidence shows the departure of heavily laden coach.
Though the house was not quite as empty as it appeared, as breaking through a locked door, they found Paul Kratides and Mr. Melas. Both men have been gassed with charcoal fumes. The rescue proves too late for Paul Kratides, but the attention of Dr Watson sees Mr. Melas saved. The rescue has also come too late to arrest Latimer and Kemp, or rescue Sophy. The gaps in Sherlock Holmes’s knowledge of the case are soon filled in.The friend of Paul had warned him about the influence that Latimer was insist over Sophy, and they had travelled to England from Greece to fix that situation. Paul Kratides had though become a prisoner of Latimer, and the latter had tried to make the former sign over Sophy’s property, of course, Paul Kratides had refused to do so, which ultimately lead to his own death. There was a footnote to the adventure for news arrived of the death of two Englishmen, Latimer and Kemp, in Hungary. It appeared that the two have killed each other during a fight, but Sherlock Holmes has a strong feeling that the
deaths of the two men have been caused by Sophy: the sister of Paul who getting her revenge.
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CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
This chapter consists of four parts. The first part is the review of related literature. This part reviews other related studies which use the same subject in the study. The second part is the review of related theories. This part reviews the theory employed in the study. The third part is the review of the historical-biographical background. This part discusses the social culture historical that happened when the author wrote the novel. The fourth part is the theoretical framework. This part discusses the theories that are used in analyzing the novel.
A. Review of Related Studies
There were many researchers who discussed Sherlock Holmes, yet the researcher only took four researchers. The first was Rosemary Jann (1990), she is a professor of Departement of English and Cultural Studies of George Mason University. In the study of Sherlock Holmes she analyzed Sherlock Holmes codes of the social body. She discusses the persistance of Sherlock Holmes in the readers‟ mind with the accuracy in recognizing the facts and clues made them want to read the novel. Moreover, she also points out that many critics have followed Sir Arthur Conan Doyle‟s biographer Pierre Nordon in viewing Holmes as a resonant symbol of the late Victorian faith in the power of logic and rationality to insure order.
The second researcher who is also discussed Sherlock Holmes was Edward Wiltse (1998). He analyzed Sherlock Holmes and seriality. He is a professor in Nazareth College as a staff of English and Communication Departement. He is teaching Twentieth-century British and Irish literature and post-colonial literature, he also interested in the research of crime and detective fiction, film, cultural studies, rhetoric and composition. In analyzing Sherlock Holmes, he discussed the explosion of Sherlock Holmes‟ story onto the literary scene in the 1890‟s as a late stage in the decline of what had been a dominant literary mode. He also defined the invention of the short story serial or series is based on continuous character and setting, for example is from the story of Sherlock Holmes. Wiltse (1998) also points out that Doyle‟s new genre had ramification across the cultural spectrum not only for the emergent narrative technologies but also more strictly “literary” production.
The third researcher was Louise Jensen (2014). She is an author of many books which is related to psychology. Moreover, in the study of Sherlock Holmes, she analyzed Sherlock Holmes‟ trademarks as a sex symbol, action hero and comedian in the 21st Century. She discussed the companionship between the world‟s only consulting detective Sherlock Holmes and the veteran war doctor referred to as Dr. John Hamish Watson. The analysis is taken from the first novel of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle entitled Study in Scarlet. Jensen (2014) also analyzed the representation of Sherlock Holmes with deerstalker, the magnifying glass, and the curved pipe are signs and the trademarks which make the character of Sherlock Holmes recognisable for the reader around the world. Moreover, she is
also explained Sherlock Holmes‟ image that actually inspired by Conan Doyle‟s own professor, Dr. Joseph Bell. He could diagnose patients‟ diseases based on minor observation which also became the inspiration of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created Sherlock Holmes.
The fourth researcher was Eduarda De Carli (2014), she was a student in Aalborg University which analyzed Sherlock Holmes characterization in the novel of A Study in Scarlet. The study aims to analyze the characterization of Sherlock Holmes in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle‟s text and in a contemporary television appropriation, in order to investigate its representation as well as some of the choices made when adapting the original first person narration into film.
Likewise in this study, the researcher also uses the same subject, Sherlock Holmes. Yet, the significance of this study is to reveal the companionship through brotherhood relationship between Sherlock Holmes and Mycroft Holmes in the novel of the Greek Interpreter.
B. Review of Related Theories
The main theory which is used to describe the sibling relationship between the character of Sherlock Holmes and Mycroft Holmes is from Furman and Buhrmester (1985) about the quality of sibling relationship. Before we discussed about the theory, we must know who are Wyndol Furman and late Duane Buhrmester.
Wyndol Furman is a professor in Denvar University as a staff of Departement of Psychology. He has contribution to SAGE Publications. He has
current research and project called project star which is an 18 year longitudinal study of romantic relationship, other close relationship, and adjustment in adolescene and early adulthood.
Furthermore, late Duane Buhrmester was a dean of Behavioral and Brain Science (BBS) and a professor of psychological sciences at UT Dallas. He was an active and respected researcher and teacher. In his administrative role, he served on vital University. He also was on the editorial board of the international journal of behavioral development and frequently spoke at International psychological conference. His current research before he died is The Network of Relationships Inventory: Behavioral Systems Version in 2009.
Further, they were working together in the study of sibling relationship. In the study, they found that there are four dimensions of sibling relationship which are warmth/closeness, relative status/power, rivalry and conflict.
1. Warmth/Closeness
There are positive and negative effects for siblings in each dimension. According to Furman and Buhrmester (1985), sibling relationship can be form of cooperation vs competitive and agreeable vs quarrelsome. Even though in the positive and negative behavior considered as bipolar (two different sides), they have to be treated as different dimension too. According to Furman and Buhrmester (1985) warmth/closeness is predictable to be formed in the range of various qualities such as intimacy, pro-social behavior, companionship, admiration, nurturance, perceived similarity, and affection. They define that
feeling of warmth or closeness is greater in same-sex than in opposite-sex. The siblings with the same-sex have the strongest feelings of warmth and closeness, the similarity in gender appears to promote relationships that remind friendship in some respect. Older siblings can serve as caretakers, teachers, or models. In some instances, they can even help compensate for absent or distant parents. In their interactions with each other, siblings may acquire many social and cognitive skills that are central to healthy social development.
2. Relative Status/Power
This dimension has consistently occurred in taxonomic studies of interpersonal characters or types of relationships. Based on the result of the study from Furman and Buhrmester (1985), relative age had a strong effect on awareness of status/power and when the subject was the older member of the family, it reported the bigger nurturance and dominance over their siblings and admired more by younger siblings.
Furman and Buhrmester (1985) added that although investigators have usually focused on dominance, there are also positive qualities, such as admiration and nurturance (caretaking). In these taxonomic studies, relative status/power relationships have also been found to vary along a dimension of positivity-negativity which is cooperation/friendly vs competitive/ hostile, warm/agreeable vs cold/quarrelsome. Moreover, the range of the difference in age also influenced perceptions of relative status/power as indicated by significant interaction. When
the siblings were 4 or more years older, they engaged in the greatest amount of nurturing and caretaking behavior to each other.
3. Conflict
Conflict is expected to be displayed in terms of quarreling, competition, and perceived parental favoritism. Moreover, according to Furman and Buhrmester (1985) age is the significant effect on the conflict factor. Children with a narrow-spaced sibling are having more conflict between them rather than with wide-spaced sibling. The same result also happens on the quarreling, antagonism, and competition scales.
4. Rivalry
Furman and Buhrmester (1985) point out that in the dimension of rivalry children described the greater rivalry in parental favoritism. While in adulthood, it may be less salient because in adulthood siblings specifically no longer live with each other or with the parents.
C. Review on the Historical-biographical Background
In the era of making the Sherlock Holmes story in the late 19th century, Western intellectuals tend to describe 'modernity' as incompatible with 'enchantment' (Saler, 2003). Based on the study from Saler (2003), Max Weber argues that two intrinsic aspects in modernity are rationalization and bureaucracies as opposed to the magical attitudes to human existence which
characterize medieval and early medieval thinking that describe the gloomy images of the 'iron cage'. The theory put forward by Max Weber who argued that rationalization and the rule of trapping people in “thinking” about reasoning which cause the fear of romanticism and had to be repeated by later cultural doubters until the 20th century.
Moreover, the masterpiece of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes portrays a specific modern form of enchantment. There are two reasons why Sherlock Holmes represents the specific modern of enchantment. First, Sherlock has his own form of rationalism called „animistic reason‟, which offer an alternative to the narrower instrumental reason that claimed as a defining element of modernity. Second, many adult readers at the turn of the century and beyond were able to pretend that Sherlock is in the real life, and his creator is fictitious through the „ironic imagination‟, a more capacious and playful understanding of the imagination. Sherlock Holmes first appearance is in The Strand magazine in 1891.
Saler (2003) defines that Doyle affirmed his belief of the existences of fairy so that many people believe that Sherlock Holmes was real. Thus, many of the early readers of the Sherlock Holmes stories assumed that the author must share the attribute of fairies and modernity in the aspect of rational thinking. The attributes made Holmes so typically modern through his secularism, rationalism, and skepticism. Though, from an early age, Doyle had expressed ambivalence about modernity. Saler (2003) explains Conan Doyle had been raised as a Catholic and educated by Jesuit but as a young man, he left Catholicism and gravitated
toward the rationalist and positivist stand of his medical school instructors at the University of Edinburgh. Yet, he was not comfortable with modern atheism and materialism either, his disappointment with aspects of the modernity and dissatisfaction with agnosticism led him to explore spiritualism beginning in 1886, a year before he wrote Sherlock Holmes story.
In sum, Sherlock Holmes was the first character of literature to be treated as if he was real and his creator is fictitious. Clausen (1984) defines the first appearance of Sherlock Holmes was in 1887 (Study in Scarlet) made him become the popular works of fiction ever created. “No other Victorian literary character has maintained so powerful a hold on so many twentieth-century readers‟ imagination” (Clausen 1984, p. 104).
D. Theoretical Framework
The main theory that is used in this analysis is based on Furman and Buhrmester (1985) about four dimensions of the sibling relationship. This theory is to describe the relationship between Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes through the sibling‟s dimension. The dimensions of sibling relationship are warmth/closeness, status/power, rivalry and conflict.
Other theories which will be used in describing the characteristics of siblings are from Cicirelli (1995) about sibling relationships across the lifespan. The theory from Cicirelli (1995) is used to elaborate the unique characteristic of sibling relationship and also the definition of sibling relationship. Moreover, Freud (1922) defines about group Psychology and the analysis of ego. Based on
the study, Freud (1922) defines that each individual has the desire of explores the path to find satisfaction for they instinct and sometimes it makes the individual disregard they relationship with others. Therefore, Freud (1922) also explains that actually in the individual‟s mental life, someone else invariably involved as a model, object, helper, and also opponent.
Furthermore, Stocker et al. (1997) explain about sibling relationship in early adulthood. In the theory, they describe about the nature of sibling relationship in early adulthood and characterize the dimension of sibling relationship which appears in the adulthood relationship. Moreover, those theories support the theory of sibling relationship by Furman and Buhrmester (1985) and also help the researcher to explain further information about sibling relationship between Sherlock Holmes and Mycroft Holmes.
Moreover, Hogan (2011) describes the introduction of studying literature. He explains that, this study aims to integrate literary insight with work from neuroscience, psychology, philosophy, and elsewhere in order to contribute to the ongoing interdisciplinary research. He also identifies that drawing the sources of neuroscience, psychology, philosophy, but stressing the particular value of literature will treats the general structure of emotion which are both egoistic and emphatic, as well as particular emotions including romantic love, mirth, grief, guilt, shame, and jealousy.
The researcher also applied the theory from Sartre (1988) about what is literature. In this book, Sartre (1988) points out that literature begin with two parts of writing which opposes an instrumental of prose to the poetic attitude and more
focused on the language. Moreover, there are four main literary genres of literature which are poetry, fiction, nonfiction and drama.
Furthermore, the theory from Crane (2007) is used in this study to give the definition of novel. According to Crane (2007) novel means a fictional prose narrative of steady paragraph. The stories from the novel tempt the reader to connect with the explanation of larger meanings, values, and phenomena. He also point out that there are five elements in the novel story which are plot, theme, setting, point of view and character.
In explaning the definition of character, the researcher used the theory from Piper et al. (2017). Based on their study, character means the media that make the reader come to terms with new kinds of social experience. Moreover, the the character in a novel can attached people to read the novel.
The other theory that also supports the theory of personality is from Maslow (1954). He describes the theory of personality attempt to enlarge our conception of the human personality by reaching into the “higher” levels of human nature. In this book, Maslow also represents a different philosophy of human nature, a new image of man.
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CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY
This chapter discusses three parts which consist of object of the study, an approach to the study, and method of the study. The object of the study deals with the identity of the novel. Moreover, the approach of the study discusses the approaches which employed in analyzing the study. In addition, the method of the study discusses the steps taken in analyzing the novels.
A. Object of the Study
Sherlock Holmes is one of famous detective stories. It was created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in the late 19th century. The first story of Sherlock Holmes was published in 1887, titled Study in Scarlett and then followed by the second book titled Sign of Four that was published in 1890. The Greek Interpreter itself launched in 1893 of September in the edition of the Strand Magazine. Furthermore, in 1893, the Greek Interpreter was republished as a part of The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes as a compilation work of short Sherlock Holmes stories.
The Greek Interpreter is the part of 56 Sherlock Holmes short stories written by British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and one of 12 stories in the cycle collected as The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. The story was originally serialized in The Strand Magazine in 1893. This story introduces Holmes's elder
brother Mycroft. Moreover, Doyle ranked The Greek Interpreter seventeenth in a list of his nineteen favorite Sherlock Holmes stories.
Based on the article of Quatermain (2016), the short Sherlock Holmes stories had been published in the Strand Magazine, and the powers of the consulting detective were well established. In the adventure of the Greek Interpreter though, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle introduced a figure whose skills potentially exceed those of his most famous creation. This figure was Mycroft Holmes, but he did not have the inclination, or the energy, to undertake the same kind of work as his brother did. The case of the Greek Interpreter is not a difficult one for Sherlock Holmes to solve, for indeed, some of the preparatory work, in the form of newspaper advertisements, has already been undertaken by Mycroft. In investigating the case though, there is a certain amount of urgency that is not always present in Sherlock Holmes tales.
Furthermore, The Greek Interpreter was in an episode of the 1960s BBC television adaptations, from the programmer’s second series. Shot in color, first aired in October 1968. This shot is starred by Peter Cushing and Nigel Stock. Unfortunately, this is one of the second series' missing episodes. The episode would be adapted for television by Granada TV and in the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Jeremy Brett would star as the detective. This adaptation kept fairly close to the original storyline, although Mycroft Holmes had been introduced in an earlier episode, and also the ending was amended, with the criminals being captured by Holmes.
The Greek Interpreter was also adapted by BBC Radio 4 under the same name in 1992, as part of a long-term series of BBC radio adaptations of the whole Sherlock Holmes Canon, directed by playwright and radio drama director Bert Coules. The radio adaptation starred Clive Merrison and Michael Williams.
The Greek Interpreter was one of the off-screen cases from the BBC series of Sherlock Holmes, was a loose adaptation which appeared on Dr. Watson's personal blog. The article on the blog is dated 16 June and is briefly glimpsed (along with two other cases) during the episode A Scandal in Belgravia.
B. Approach of the Study
The approach that was used in this study is psychological approach from Freud (1922). In this approaches, Frued describes that the individual psychology is concerned with the individual man and explores the paths by which he seeks to find satisfaction for his instinct. However, there is an exceptional condition which is the individual psychology in a position to disregard the relation of the others. In the individual’s mental life, someone else is invariably involved as a model, as an object, as a helper, and also can be as an opponent. Moreover, the relations of an individual to his parents and to his brother or sister are the main subject of psycho-analytic which may be claimed as a social phenomenon. The relation is come under the influence of only a single person or from a very small number of persons that is each one of whom has become enormously important to him. That is why if we look at Sherlock’s personality, we know that as an individual he has his own paths to explore his satisfaction in solving the case. However, as Freud
explains in his theory, an individual also need someone else in his life, for example a brother, as well as in the story of Sherlock and Mycroft. Sherlock considers his brother as a model and helper. Therefore, in the story Sherlock said that sometimes the interesting case came to him through his brother. It means that a small number of a person in his life become enormously important to him.
In supporting the Psychology approach from Freud (1922), the researcher used the theory of sibling relationship from Furman and Buhrmester (1985). The theory is about the four dimensions of sibling relationship which explain that sibling relationship can be described through the dimensions such as warmth/closeness, relative status/power, conflict and rivalry. Further, the theory from Cicirelli (1995) describes about sibling relationships across the lifespan which explains the attribute of sibling relationship that has the certain unique characteristic. These unique characteristics consist of five parts. First, the relationship with a sibling is usually the longest relationship that an individual will experience in the total lifetime. Second, the sibling relationship is ascribed rather than earned. Third, the sibling relationship in childhood and adolescence are more one of intimate daily contact. Fourth, the relationship between siblings is often seen as one of relative egalitarianism. Fifth, siblings’ life has in common a long history of shared as well as non-shared experience.
C. Method of the Study
In analyzing the novel, the researcher applied formalist criticism. Historically, the term “formalism”, is a criticism and theory as in aesthetics,
usually signifies a concern with an artwork’s formal features, not just its thematic or representational elements (Bogel, 2013). The critic pays special attention to the elements of the work, for example fiction: plot, point of view, characters, setting, tone and style, theme, symbol. Moreover, the strength of formalism is “close reading” skill which means the efforts to obtain the full understanding of a reading material. With the full understanding of the novel, the reader can grasp the idea of the author in a way of analyze the character in the novel, and then try to draw the relation between the character and other characters, and the last the reader can design their own meaning toward the novel. As well as in this study the researcher has an argument toward the novel of Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock Holmes is known has a intimate relationship with Watson. It begun when Sir Arthur Conan Doyle published his first novel entitled A Study in Scarlet in 1887. The companionhip between these two charcacters are no doubt. Sherlock spends most of his time with Watson rather than with Mycroft. However, in this study the researcher wants to show that actually Sherlock and his brother are also close to each other.
Furthermore, there are four steps in analyzing the novel. First, the researcher tried to understand the content of the story. Second, the researcher begun to analyze the character. In this study the researcher chose the character of Sherlock Holmes and Mycroft Holmes to be placed in the sibling relationship and revealed their companionship in solving the case. Third, the researcher begun to draw the relationship between Sherlock and Mycroft through the conversation and statement from the characters. Fourth, the researcher started to write the analysis of sibling relationship between Sherlock and Mycroft.
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CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS
This chapter presents the findings of the study. In this chapter, there are two dimensions which are used to explain the sibling relationship between Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes which are warmth/closeness and status/power.
A. Characteristics of Sherlock Holmes
The character of Sherlock Holmes is known from the hawk-like features and piercing eyes; the dressing-gown and pipe; the deerstalker cap and magnifying glass. These details are so familiar if he were appear amongst us today we should know him at once. Dr. Watson revealed Sherlock’s personality in A Study in Scarlet (1887) as a man who has moments of intense energy and passion as well as just as intense moments of depression and contemplation. Dr. Watson also describe Sherlock’s personality as the worst tenant in London who keeps his cigars in the coal-scuttle, his tobacco in the toe-end of a Persian slipper, and his letters transfixed by a jack-knife to the center of the wooden mantelpiece. Strange visitors, chemical experiments and late-night violin playing also tried the patience of their landlady Mrs. Hudson. He was however a great detective's loyal companion and was aware of his value.
B. Characteristics of Mycroft Holmes
Mycroft Holmes is the older brother of Sherlock Holmes by seven years. He appears or mentioned in four stories of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle such as “The Greek Interpreter”, “The Final Problem”, “The Empty House”, and “The Bruce-Partington Plans”. His character also describe by Watson when they first met.
“Mycroft Holmes was a much larger and stouter man than Sherlock. His body was absolutely corpulent, but his face, though massive, had preserved something of the sharpness of expression which was so remarkable in that of his brother. His eyes, which were of a peculiarly light, watery gray, seemed to always retain that far-away, introspective look which I had only observed in Sherlock’s when he was exerting his full power.”
(The Greek Interpreter, p. 2).
Meanwhile, his personality is described by Sherlock in The Greek Interpreter: ... he has no ambition and no energy. He will not even go out of his way to verify his own solution, and would rather be considered wrong than take the trouble to prove himself right. And yet he was absolutely incapable of working out the practical points which must be gone into before a case could be laid before a judge or jury.”
(The Greek Interpreter, p. 1).
The different character and personality from these brothers are create the relation of symbiosis mutualism. It means that one has much energy to look after the evidence (Sherlock Holmes) while the other one (Mycroft Holmes) has no energy so he just gives the case and helps in his own way. The character, personality and the companionship between them is described in their conversations. While sibling relationship between Sherlock and Mycroft described through the dimension of sibling relationship which is mentioned by Furman and Buhrmester (1985). In their study of the quality of sibling relationship, there are four dimensions of sibling relationship, yet the researcher only focuses on two
dimensions which are warmth/closenes and status/power. The reason is because these two dimension take the big role of siblings relationship in a adulthood.
NB: The bold sentences are the conversation that proves the dimension.
A. Warmth/Closeness
According to Furman and Buhrmester (1985) warmth/closeness is defined as a cooperation or friendly vs. competitive or hostile, warm or agreeable vs. cold or quarrelsome. Moreover, warmth/closeness is also can be form of intimacy, pro-social behavior, companionship, admiration, nurturance, perceived similarity, and affection. However, in this study, the researcher focuses on two forms which are intimacy and companionship and perceived similarity and admiration.
1. Intimacy and Companionship
In the story of the Greek Interpreter, there are some conversations between Sherlock Holmes and Mycroft Holmes as well as Sherlock and Watson, which help the researcher to describe this dimension. The importance of this story is that for the first time Sherlock Holmes talks about his older brother. According to Cicirelli (1995) in the recent years, the attention is focused on the relationship between siblings and the factors influencing such relationship. In every novel of Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle shows that the main character such a weird person and it is because of his methods in solving the case, which are in analyzing footprints, faces (animal or human), corpse temperature, corneas,
pulses, snow-covered field or dropped cigarettes ash and another clues (Ginzburg, 1980). Ginzburg (1980) defines that;
The method is called medical semiotics or symptomatology the discipline which permits diagnosis, though the disease cannot be directly observed on the basis of superficial symptoms or signs, often irrelevant to the eye of the layman, or even of Dr. Watson (p. 12).
In addition, Freud (1922) acclaimed that Sherlock acts like that to satisfy himself for his instinct, so he does not care about the other people think of him. Moreover, in the Greek Interpreter case, Sherlock and Mycroft show the close relationship through the knowledge about each other for example Sherlock tells Watson about his brother’s schedule, occupation, and achievement. Beside the intimacy between these brothers, Sherlock and Mycroft also show the companionship by helping each other in solving the case of the Greek Interpreter. However, how can the intimacy and companionship between Sherlock and Mycroft remained, if these brothers are rarely met? Based on the study of Stocker et al. (1997), in adulthood, siblings are also likely to vary in affectionate features of their relationship. Therefore, it is rarely seen in many Sherlock Holmes stories which tell about the sibling relationship between Sherlock and Mycroft.
Furthermore, in maintaining the relationship, Cicirelli (1995) explains that sibling relationship in adulthood is maintained by telephone communication, letters, and periodic visits. Moreover, Stocker et al. (1997) define that “adult who lives far apart with their sibling can maintain contact through the mail and over the telephone” (p. 212). Therefore, there are three examples include the story of
Bruce Partington Plans which explain about how Sherlock and Mycroft communicate with each other.
As we walked home together, Holmes stopped at a telegraph office and sent off several wires.
(The Greek Interpreter, p. 6).
Holmes handed me his brother‟s telegram.
Must see you over Cadogen West. Coming at once.
— Mycroft.
(Bruce Partington Plans, p. 789).
At London Bridge, Holmes wrote a telegram to his brother, which he handed to me before dispatching it. It ran thus:
See some light in the darkness, but it may possibly flicker out. Meanwhile, please send by messenger, to await return at Baker Street, a complete list of all foreign spies or international agents known to be in England, with full address.
— Sherlock.
(Bruce Partington Plans, p. 793).
The way they maintain their brotherly relationships is unique, although the content of the telegram is not like asking “how are you” and so on, but in that way, they remain in touch. The rarity of meetings between them makes their relationship far from the conflict. As explained before, intimacy appears when the sibling knows each other well. “Communication between siblings about their lives, either directly or indirectly (through a parent or others), may produce empathy and vicariously shared experiences, facilitating greater similarity” (Cicirelli 1995, p. 2). In addition, Cicirelli (1995) also points out that sibling relationship is ascribed rather than earned which means brotherhood or sisterhood is a status that is obtained by birth. Even though, there will be the separation of an active sibling relationship under certain circumstances, there is no separation of the sibling status. It means that even though they do not regularly communicate with each other but their relationship as a sibling still lingers in their daily life.
The same action is also done by Sherlock Holmes when he begins to talk about his brother to Watson that also showed a great sense of intimacy to his brother. Sometimes, Sherlock also calls his brother “my dear Mycroft”. He admits that, sometimes, some cases come to him through his brother.
“You see, Watson,” he remarked, “our evening has been by no means wasted. Some of my most interesting cases have come to me in this way through Mycroft. The problem which we have just listened to, although it can admit of but one explanation, has still some distinguishing features.”
(The Greek Interpreter, p. 6).
The companionship between Sherlock and Mycroft is proven by Sherlock upon receiving the case from Mycroft. He works very hard to resolve the case. Then, if Mycroft wants advice, Sherlock will glad to help.
2. Perceived Similarity and Admiration
The story of the Greek Interpreter also told about Sherlock ability in deduction. Actually, Sherlock’s ability does not only come by itself but it is hereditary. According to Wiltse (1998), Holmes’s ability is also hereditary, as his brother Mycroft who has similar genius suggests and the disinterested pursuit of knowledge for its own sake. According to Furman and Buhrmester (1985), “warmth/closeness is predicted to be established in the range of molecular qualities such as intimacy, pro-social behavior, companionship, admiration, nurturance, perceived similarity, and affection” (p. 450). At the beginning of the encounter of Mycroft and Watson in the Greek Interpreter case, Sherlock does not really talk too much about his brother to limit his brother’s privacy in taking care
