The Red-Headed League
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

The Red-Headed League: Style 1 key example

Style
Explanation and Analysis:

Conan Doyle’s writing style in “The Red-Headed League” is highly descriptive and formal. Told in the first-person from Watson’s point-of-view, the story features Watson’s lengthy transcriptions of dialogue between the two men (as well as between Holmes and other characters), along with important developments in the plot and personal musings on Holmes.

The opening lines of the story capture Watson’s formal and verbose style, as well as Holmes’s quirky speaking style (as seen in much of the dialogue in the story):

I had called upon my friend, Mr. Sherlock Holmes, one day in the autumn of last year and found him in deep conversation with a very stout, florid-faced, elderly gentleman with fiery red hair. With an apology for my intrusion, I was about to withdraw when Holmes pulled me abruptly into the room and closed the door behind me.

“You could not possibly have come at a better time, my dear Watson,” he said cordially.

“I was afraid that you were engaged.”

“So I am. Very much so.”