The Logical and Analyptic Snape

Sherlock Holmes

Sir Arthus Conan Doyle

All over the countryside, away to the rolling hills around Aldershot, the little red and gray roofs of the farm-steadings peeped out from amid the light green of the new foliage.
“Are they not fresh and beautiful?” I cried with all the enthusiasm of a man fresh from the fogs of Baker Street.
[323] But Holmes shook his head gravely.
“Do you know, Watson,” said he, “that it is one of the curses of a mind with a turn like mine that I must look at everything with reference to my own special subject. You look at these scattered houses, and you are impressed by their beauty. I look at them, and the only thought which comes to me is a feeling of their isolation and of the impunity with which crime may be committed there.”
“Good heavens!” I cried. “Who would associate crime with these dear old homesteads?”

“They always fill me with a certain horror. It is my belief, Watson, founded upon my experience, that the lowest and vilest alleys in London do not present a more dreadful record of sin than does the smiling and beautiful countryside.”
“You horrify me!”
“But the reason is very obvious. The pressure of public opinion can do in the town what the law cannot accomplish. There is no lane so vile that the scream of a tortured child, or the thud of a drunkard’s blow, does not beget sympathy and indignation among the neighbours, and then the whole machinery of justice is ever so close that a word of complaint can set it going, and there is but a step between the crime and the dock. But look at these lonely houses, each in its own fields, filled for the most part with poor ignorant folk who know little of the law. Think of the deeds of hellish cruelty, the hidden wickedness which may go on, year in, year out, in such places, and none the wiser. Had this lady who appeals to us for help gone to live in Winchester, I should never have had a fear for her. It is the five miles of country which makes the danger. Still, it is clear that she is not personally threatened.”

Summary and analysis

Who does not know of the famous detective?! Some of you, I am certain, will refute his right to belong to this section.  However, let me explain myself:

Sherlock Holmes is such a famous character, he has been adapted and readapted all over the world to fit next to all media : radio, theatre, literature, movies, etc.  I wouldn't be surprised if they'd come up with a musical!  Thanks to this over-publicity, his character has been washed away in more than one adaptation, unfortunately. This is why I ask you to come back to the original Holmes, the canon one.

I read all the canon stories, and I am still left with this impression that Sherlock Holmes is a Snape in his own right. He is not spiteful, gothic or evil, but that does not overshadows is other Snappish traits in my opinion.

He is...

-Very intelligent! A genius of analysis and logic.  He says he shall never let his emotions take over his mind, it would disturb is carefully built system up in the attic that is his head.

-He is very stubborn about his methods, very picky of what true intelligence is. He does not call others dunderhead, but by not ever associating with anybody but Dr. Watson, this is Holmes' way of saying so.

-He hates women because of their over-emotional frivolity and giddiness. Snape does not strike you as the "any woman type" as well. Nor does Holmes revere men's attraction to women!  He scorned Watson immensely when the latter got married. He could not forgive his own weakness in feelings.  Holmes prefers the cold calculating mind and intellectual prowess to anything else, like Snape. However, Holmes knows when to recognise talent, he did once in a woman in "Scandal in Bohemia" with Irene Adler. But all in all, he has nothing to do with love. The exact reaction Snape has at Valentine's Day! Snape, too, rewards genius.

-Like Snape, he works his way out of a problem by himself, without revealing his own information but when he is certain or when the need arises. If not, he will be very secretive and shall not blurt out any clues away so that his plans are compromised. Snape acts in this manner often.

Sherlock has this artistic fashion about him that may not equal Snape's robes and gothic features, but it attracts all the same. This is Sherlock's own sensuality.

-Holmes is an amateur chemist, but he's really good at it!!  He loves science and facts, just like Snape with Potions.

-On important matters, he prefers to work alone, not hindered by anyone.

-He is very through in all that he undertakes. He will not let anything pass under his nose. His deductions from facts are pretty much always correct, while his deductions about people (feelings) are pretty accurate as well. Snape also has this trait which is why he is always ahead of Harry.

-He is a true gentleman, he respects conventions and the old ways.

Where Holmes differs a lot more from Snape is with people in general. He can interact with people like any gentleman. He can do and he needs to because he requires a whole underground world of information. He needs a lot of informants which he is why needs to communicate a lot.  Of course, Snape also has informants, but not in the same happy way.  Holmes is very civil. However, Holmes never indulges with anyone on a personal level. Rarely did he even do it with Watson!  Just like Snape, he does not like idle talk. If he does indulge with lots of people, it always serves as information for his cases. Never for his own pleasure. He then extracts loads of vital information from people he interrogates while seeming interested in them while he is not. Snape, on the other hand, never looks interested, but I'm sure he is listening carefully nonetheless. Also, Holmes tends to get into bad, melancholic and depressive moods easily when home. He is lonely, but he accepts it. He lives his own life.  Like Snape!

Watson reminds me of Albus. The passive helper and confident in Snape's life. Though he never shows so, Holmes truly cares for Watson. Like Snape to Albus. I remember that one episode when, in "The Return of Sherlock Holmes", Watson gets shot. Before Holmes knows whether the wound will be fatal or not, he jumps right on Watson, fearing the worst, trembling a bit, his old countenance lost.... That was the best moment of the whole series I believe, where loyal Watson witness the whole extent of his friend's love for him. Something he would never show, even at home. But when he feared he would lose him, Sherlock reacted in such an uncharacteristic manner!  And then, he turned around, relieved Watson's wound was but superficial, and told his enemy that were Watson been mortally shot, he would have killed him on the spot. Whoa!! That was the first time Holmes considered shooting rather than delivering someone over to the police! Wow!  Very cold yet passionate on the inside, like Snape.

Also, the one main difference is that he has never turned to the dark side. He did consider it at some point (we learned as much when he revealed Watson that he would have made such an exceptional criminal). But he never gave in because his talents could be used positively instead, and he was never attracted by power and money. I'm not saying Snape does though, but Sherlock does not seek recognition like him. He loves a good challenge and is bored out of his skull if he remains inactive for too long. This is a Snappish trait, I believe, to be incapable of inaction.  However, while Snape rages and spits and such, Holmes rather falls back on drugs. Indeed, when his brain is inactive for too long, if Sherlock doesn't want to go crazy, he drugs himself.  But this act also reminds me of Snape's way of coping though both means are totally different, but the end remains the same. They are both frustrated.