Sherlock Holmes is famous for his sharp wit, reclusive nature, powers of observation and talent for deduction. All emotions, and that one particularly, were abhorrent to his cold, precise, but admirably balanced mind" (Adventures 5). Elementary also gave a nod in that direction. His savant-level skills amaze the members of the FBI squad with which he works, and he communicates with his team members primarily through monologues. Watson, representing the neurotypical reader, is unable to understand or appreciate Holmes's deep interests and perceives them as mysterious. When Watson asks, "What will he do?" a condition that has always existed, it was only identified in 1940. ordinary events in a truly innovative manner is the autistic's long suit. At the beginning of The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, when Holmes has been separated from his dearest friend for a very long time, his greeting strikes Watson as cold and aloof: "His manner was not effusive. The stories are haunted by the idea that Holmes's intense interest in crime might actually make him into a criminal. Speculation that Holmes is on the autism spectrum is one of the most popular theories. It is a multidisciplinary and international journal of interest to social scientists, scholars in the humanities and arts, disability rights advocates, and others concerned with the issues of people with disabilities. autistic-like characteristics. Tell me, if you had to name the most "Sherlock like" member of Every true Sherlockian is a bit troubled and more than a little disturbed by the master's well noted Furthermore, the presumably redemptive fiction of the autistic hero often proves oddly dehumanizing: even as his incredible feats of deduction are praised as a work of genius, Holmes is objectified by his beloved Watson, who constantly compares the brilliant sleuth to machines and repeatedly describes him as "inhuman." everything, irrespective of relevance, at full, overwhelming volume she showed an intense 4 Autistic people generally consider the term "mind-blind" to be derogatory, and the idea that all people with autism are "coldblooded" and "rude" is obviously a damaging stereotype. On the surface, it seems that the cultural fantasy of the autistic crime fighter serves to dispel the false stereotype of people with cognitive disabilities as criminalsbut in the Sherlock Holmes stories, cognitive difference is equated with deviant criminality, and Conan Doyle depicts Holmes as a hero who triumphs over the hereditary brain difference that links him to the criminal underworld. Amateur diagnoses based on popular stereotypes foster a one-dimensional way of thinking about people on the spectrum. In sum, such readings frequently present autism as "abnormal" in relation to an imaginary neurotypical norm and encourage false stereotypes of autistics as emotionless, lacking in empathy, and incapable of love. In the original Conan Doyle stories (and in many later adaptations and retellings of the Sherlock Holmes myth) the autistic detective is frequently compared to criminalsan association that subtly links cognitive difference with criminality. Moriarty, too, admires the work of Holmes: "It has been an intellectual treat to me to see the way in which you have grappled with this affair" (Memoirs 255.). laboratory, regarded as highly intelligent by his fellow students. Awakenings, which was made into a popular movie. The multiple scientist figures of The Hound of the Baskervilles clearly align Holmes with the criminal Stapleton. Kimi never explicitly states that Angela is Autistic, which has tellingly led to a few different interpretations of the character over the past year. In "The Final Problem," Holmes brags to Watson that "In over a thousand cases I am not aware that I have ever used my powers upon the wrong side" (Memoirs 263). The latest on your favourite shows and stars delivered straight to your inbox. The naturalist's special interest in bugs is presented as disturbing, as his hobby of trapping, killing, and labeling insects under glass is placed parallel to his endeavor to kill the heirs to the Baskerville estate. engine runs at normal speed." against a wall. No one seems to be aware of functioning adult autistics. 40 While these crime fighters and mystery-solvers may reassure majority audiences that the stereotypical autistic savant works for law and order rather than against it, many of these television shows maintain an ambiguous liminality between criminal and crime solver and develop an aura of mystery around characters with autistic traits. picture a non-verbal, self destructive child sitting silently in isolation, head ceaselessly banging sample of what caused the Sherlockian chuckle. The fictional consulting detective can never be conclusively diagnosed but an increasing number of people seem to take it as read that he's autistic, even those who should know better. 30 In other words, we want to believe that terrible crimes must be committed by someone "unlike us." Four psychiatrists in the UK specialising in autistic spectrum disorders give their professional conclusions on whether Sherlock has autism or Asperger's Syndrome:. mind? Last month, the Telegraph reported the National Autistic Society saying that Holmes shows signs of. Because the stories are narrated from Watson's perspective, Holmes's body language is judged against a neurotypical standard. Dr. Watson, actually entering his mind and discerning his every thought? In an early episode, Reid expresses sympathy for an intelligent young man about his age, a socially awkward nerd doomed by an uncontrollable desire to stab women. strong possibility. (ISSN: 1041-5718; eISSN: 2159-8371), 2022 DSQ Book reviews have been published in a community blog here. If it is the FBI profilers' job to think like criminals, Reid is clearly the best at the job. Sherlock Holmes has long been rumored to be on the autism spectrum. When Derek expresses concern over the young detective's sympathy for a killer, Reid explains, "I know what it's like to be afraid of your own mind." fixations on obscure subjects. So intent on looking for clues that he speaks with his back turned toward his new colleague, he agrees: "Yeah, cut out all the handshakes and 'how do you dos.'" of the question. remarkable of that class of individuals who "suffer" from autism. tobacco (The Boscombe Valley Mystery, The Sign of Four and A Study in Grandin is quoted as saying "My work is my life. Yet the murderer in The Hound of the Baskervilles also proves to be an eccentric scientist, one with a special interest in entomology. According to Watson, Holmes rarely seems focused on the person he is conversing with and is often looking elsewhere. Almost all of the reader's perceptions of Holmes are filtered through Watson's narrative voice: it might be more accurate not to say that Holmes is autistic but rather that Watson perceives him as autistic. Although Watson is determined to believe that Holmes is incapable of love and uninterested in sex, Conan Doyle's text hints at other possibilities. Ultimately, the encounter with Adler is yet another example of Watson shaping the reader's perception of Holmes, as Watson links sex and objectivity, implying that the two cannot possibly coexist. 20 Holmes often oscillates between silence and long monologues, speaking with "the air of a clinical professor expounding to his class" and avoiding small talk (even with Watson and his fiance): "Miss Morstan and I chatted in an undertone about our present expedition and its possible outcome, but our companion maintained his impenetrable reserve until the end of our journey" (Sign 39, 19.). Holmes undoubtedly changed the face of detective work for all time. Since the mental range of Additionally, why do you think it is, that we can often observe a ruder, more awkward Holmes in the modern media? Sherlock Holmes Suffered from Asperger's Syndrome. When we think of these attributes, we most often This is an ambiguous question, but millions of fans across the world enjoy watching Sherlock Holmes. Temple Grandin, according to Sacks, constantly runs 'simulations' as she calls them, in her head. 28. The crack in the high-powered lens, like the grit in the sensitive instrument, like love in the heart of the character with autistic traits, is presented as out of place. Is Sherlock Holmes Autistic? The emphasis here should be on the word "seemed"as is so often the case, Watson cannot really tell the reader what Holmes is thinking, again contributing to the stereotype of the autistic mind as mystery. Even more overtly than the Sherlock Holmes stories on which it draws for inspiration, Criminal Minds suggests that autistic traits create an unusual link between criminal and crime fighter, forwarding a false stereotype that links cognitive disability with criminal behavior. Perhaps I can ask you, members of the Six Napoleons, to answer for yourselves the question as to More specifically, and to name a few examples, BBC Sherlock, Elementary and the movies starring Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock have shown a Holmes most would recognize as autistic nowadays. Does all this remind you of anyone? 12 One potential answer is that the psychiatric community (via the DSM) defines autism. Emergence: Labeled Autistic by Temple Grandin. Sherlock is a bit like Albert Einstein; there is always some group seeking to make him a newly diagnosed member. Alex, the squad's new recruit, asks innocently, "Well, how about you?" "One day we'll be standing around a body and it will be Sherlock Holmes that put it there," Sergeant Donovan says as she warns Watson to stay away from Holmes. Detective Work (The Adventure of the Creeping Man), and on Malingering (The Credit: Psychology Today. lack thereof. Fanfiction that depicts Sherlock Holmes as being "on the spectrum" diversifies Autistic representation in the media, in that each fanfic, no matter how it engages Autistic existence and associated issues, creates an image of autism that is not bound by what society thinks about autism. Was Sherlock Holmes asexual? or strong patriotic feeling as The Star Spangled Banner is played? moping in my rooms and working out my own little methods of thought, so that I never mixed However, less powerful observations are made to "prove" less likely The novel's plurality of eccentric scientists and doctors, all of them loners, all of them socially awkward, all of them intensely interested in esoteric subjects, reminds readers that Holmes is inextricably joined with the criminals he pursues. Perhaps It is true, however, that Holmes often forgets social niceties, even going so far as to slight royalty in "A Scandal in Bohemia": "He bowed, and, turning away without observing the hand which the king stretched out to him, he set off in my company for his chambers" (Adventures 29). described by Watson as extraordinary (The Sign of Four), complete (The Valley of 10 That experience is always much more than (and sometimes simply other than) the diagnostic criteria. ineptness or Watson's lack of understanding. In A Study in Scarlet, Holmes objects, "Don't go arresting me for the murder I am one of the hounds and not the wolf" (Study 39). For those who self-identify as autistic, being on the spectrum is not just a list of traits, but an entire person, an entire life experience. Emulating Conan Doyle's famous tales, contemporary crime fiction frequently creates detective characters with autistic characteristics. thought of Spock and Data. Of course, The Cardboard interest in odors and a remarkable sense of smell she soon developed an immense power of Another common stereotype of people on the spectrum is to represent them as problems, mysteries, or puzzles. Throughout the novel, the intensity of his interest in insects is a sign of his criminal mind. While it would be impossible to diagnose a fictional character with a neurological difference, it says something about the way that the public imagines autism that Holmes is consistently imagined and described as a person on the spectrum. Indeed, it's not just the characters in the show that Sherlock has convinced of his autism. 27 According to Peter Beresford: A powerful medical psychiatric tradition has for more than a century now shaped attitudes, responses and understandings towards mental health service users. Drug use Autistics have a higher than average addiction rate. Do they disappear? Of course, none other than the This erroneous understanding of the way that autistic people behave, making Sherlock's abilities and attitude desirable, risks turning a very serious condition into something vogue. I have autism and I have learned social mimicry to hide it. "As much as I would like there to be more characters with autism and Asperger's Syndrome in the media for people to relate to, BBC Sherlock should not be used for this purpose. Increasingly when some terrible crime is committed then we are encouraged to feel the person must be mad to do such a thing they are included as mentally ill and increasingly shape public and personal understandings of madness and distress and couple it more and more closely with crime, violence and threat. This suggests that Reid's sympathy for the murderer is not just sympathy: it is a connection between two minds, a shared neurological make-up. 50 Not only does this description imply that the autistic mind is frightening, but it also clearly links the autistic detective with the criminalReid can understand the killer because they both have minds that inspire fear. Bernard Davis in, Was Holmes a Londoner?, points out that Relax! However, the ongoing conversation about Holmes and autism rarely addresses the difficulties inherent in "diagnosing" a literary character or the narrow view of people on the spectrum that the resulting analysis often offers. I have Continue Reading 38 1 Peter Howell Sherlock's behavior is far more typical of autism spectrum disorders than of sociopathy or psychopathy, yet he and many others seem to mistake him for sociopathic, and some of his actions are more typical of the popular conception of Asperger's than of most actual people with ASDs. The very title of the show, however, points to Reid's liminal status between crime fighter and criminal. My first pet's name was Rathbone, and she named our next cat Basil. The detective brags of his "knowledge of the history of crime"; Watson notes that his "knowledge of sensational literature" is "immense" for "he appears to know every detail of every horror perpetrated in the century"; the police describe the consulting detective as "a connoisseur of crime" (Study 20, 16, 118). Holmes responds simply, "What I should do" (Memoirs 260). world and finds it lacking, in her estimation. Behind his back, his coworkers smile and nod knowingly at Alex. Let us examine Sherlock's early life. 45 Yet the repeated hints never yield to any public diagnosis for Reid. Sherlock Holmes may have had a mild form of autism, commonly known as Asperger's syndrome. to think of a single witty saying by Sherlock Holmes or a play on words. While Holmes ultimately becomes a symbol of justice and the law, the implied connection between autistic traits and criminal behavior continues to haunt the original Sherlock Holmes stories and later popular culture adaptations of these tales, perpetuating false and damaging stereotypes in surprisingly subtle ways. Sherlock Holmes and autism Current media likes to portray Holmes like someone with strong autistic tendencies. hereditary, we should expect Mycroft, Sherlock's brother, to share a number of the master's individual basis. Box outlines another odd Sherlockian study, that of human ears. Volume 1 through Volume 20, no. Without problems to solve, that mind will tear itself to pieces " 37 Like the original Conan Doyle stories, the BBC's Sherlock emphasizes the destructive potential of the detective's mind. The BBC website describes Sherlock as "Brilliant, aloof and almost entirely lacking in social graces. In The Hound of the Baskervilles, Mrs. Lyons seems quite shocked by the detective's behavior as "Holmes opened his interview with a frankness and directness which considerably amazed her" (Hound 143). (The Hound of the Baskervilles), on 160 Different Ciphers (The Adventure of the 47 In fact, the actor's depiction may conflate the two conditions: Matthew Grey Grubler, who plays Reid, describes the character as "an eccentric genius, with hints of schizophrenia and minor autism, Asperger's Syndrome." His obsessive interest. The detective and the criminal mastermind admire each other's work as equal "connoisseurs of crime." What is your opinon? 1 Yet despite the ongoing scholarly conversation regarding Conan Doyle's work, the significance of the great detective's autism "diagnosis" has . by A. Michael Maher Dwelling on the mystery and exoticism of alterity, such figurations also cast the character with autism as a puzzle in need of an outside solution. Sherlock Holmes has long been rumored to be on the autism spectrum. But examine a sample of what caused the Sherlockian chuckle. Fear), composed (The Adventure of the Lion's Mane), greatest (A Case of 11 Because Holmes is a literary construct, it is also important to note that his autism diagnosis is partially a function of Watson's neurotypical narrative. another characteristic of the autistic personality. (Sacks, The New Yorker, Dec. 27, 1993; Jan. 3, 1994), 3. And remember, with the Victorian age's lack of today's regulated prescription drugs, from my world." Holmes and Moriarty are inextricably connectedspecifically through their unusual minds and ways of thinking. In season four, an autistic woman says that Watson is neuroatypical, but adds that she can't quite tell if Holmes is neuroatypical or not. 51. In Elementary, for example, Sherlock's poor social skills and peculiar ways have been pointed out multiple times, and BBC Sherlock even went as far as to call the detective autistic. When did you do that?" According to a 1943 article in the Austrian medical journal Hans Asperger, this disorder first made its way into the literature. Does Sherlock Holmes have autism, or is he as the BBC series of Sherlock Holmes suggests a sociopath? Thank you for looking. before she began her medication regime. probably Oxford, for two years, not making friends, except for Victor Trevor (The Gloria Items added daily. That means I didn't leave anything out," looking toward some lawyers in the room, to a . profession of the day. But given how poorly autism is understood by the public, it's risky to hold Sherlock up as representative of how people with ASD behave. 31 Although cognitive difference might be "assumed to be the cause" of criminal actions, such representation of disability "operates as a mechanism through which [criminals] are placed in a space of unrecoverable deviance." Sherlock is a unique young man with a mind like a 'racing engine'. A degree took three years under normal 1 Yet despite the ongoing scholarly conversation regarding Conan Doyle's work, the significance of the great detective's autism "diagnosis" has been largely overlooked. Conan Doyle's depiction of Holmes as being connected to Moriarty through common neurology establishes a false equation between cognitive difference and criminal deviance. autobiography, how easy it would have been for her to have become "hooked" on downers. Part of HuffPost Entertainment. "(My profession) " is, or ought to be, an exact science, and should be treated in the same cold From chat on fan sites to direct diagnoses in The New York Times and Psychology Today, he is the literary character most commonly associated with autism in the popular imagination. Oliver Sacks is the the normal world. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, most fictional characters that become role models are in some way idealised versions of humanity. available in the Victorian 1890s, but cocaine and opium were. Watson reports While there may be some cases where this is a legitimate false-negative, the vast majority are not autistic but their misunderstanding of what ASD is - prompted by a lack of accurate, unambiguous representation on television - has led them to believe, and sometimes openly claim, that they are undiagnosed. Sherlock Holmes has long been rumored to be on the autism spectrum. Missing Three-Quarter, A Scandal in Bohemia, The Sign of Four and The Yellow If so, what would these be? After you was gone he walked and he walked, up and down, and up and down, until I was weary of the sound of his footstep I hope he's not going to be ill, sir. Thus, the adventures of the autistic detective, as narrated by his neurotypical sidekick, are presented with an extra layer of interpretive dataas readers, we perceive both Holmes's autistic traits and Watson's neurotypical reactions to those traits. For example, popular television shows such as Criminal Minds present detectives with autistic traits who are clearly constructed to remind audiences of Holmes. "Holmes seldom laughs but he got as near it as his old friend Watson could remember." 4 years ago. 48 In any case, Reid's implicit disclosure (we know he has autism, but we do not know he has autism) contributes to the show's connections with Conan Doyle's tales of Sherlock Holmes and ultimately, to implied comparisons between Reid and the very criminals he pursues. " he/she had built up a vast library of experiences over the years." Please see and follow my store. The focus of this paper is not to "prove" that Sherlock Holmes was autistic, but to hold out the Dr. James Mortimer, a scientist with an intense interest in phrenology, talks about nothing but the shape of people's skulls. ISSN: 2159-8371 (Online); 1041-5718 (Print), The Autistic Detective: Sherlock Holmes and his Legacy, http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/06/magazine/06diagnosis-t.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0>, http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-imprinted-brain/201001/the-genius-detective-fiction, http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/brainsnacks /201110/did-sherlock-holmes-have-asperger-syndrome-0, http://www.cwru.edu/affil/sce/Representing%20Autism.html, http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b018ttws/characters/sherlock-holmes, http://cmsetreport.tumblr.com/post/34127594413/full-transcript-live-chat-with-writer-sharon-lee, http://tvdramas.about.com/od/criminalminds/a/matgraygubint.htm, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license. And he took a total of five years to finish a three year degree. The police of BBC's Sherlock are determined to believe that the eccentric detective (who they refer to as "the freak") is doomed to become a criminal. Again, Temple sees that He would have been mechanically flawless with perfect 44 "That's what I love about you," she says with a laugh, "You're not sensitive like some people. Yet the very statement suggests that there is a danger of Holmes using his immense intellect in favor of the criminal element rather than against it. While Conan Doyle's stories suggest a link between autistic behavior and criminal activity, there are other ways in which Watson's attitude toward Holmes perpetuates negative stereotypes about cognitive difference: Watson constantly compares Holmes to machines and imagines him as being incapable of emotion. Sherlock Holmes, Arthur Conan Doyle, Autism, Detective, Criminal Minds. The differences are obvious. But where do autistics go when they grow towards adulthood. (The Sign of Four; Emergence: Labeled Autism), 5. But if Sherlock is autistic (as is generally believed) then it's an over-simplified, romanticised, distinctly pop-culture version of ASD. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. 2022 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. "He/She has absolute pitch a precise and tenacious musical memory." Watson observes Holmes at work and wonders if his eccentric roommate could prove dangerous: "So swift, silent, and furtive were his movements, like those of a trained bloodhound picking out a scent, that I could not but think what a terrible criminal he would have made had he turned his energy and sagacity against the law, instead of exerting them in its defense" (Sign 43). cocaine use [The Five Orange Pips, The Man with the Twisted Lip, The Adventure of the Focus on this truism was recently brought about by the autobiography The diagnosis of a literary character may be misleading in that even the best-drawn character can never have the full roundness of a real person: one may wonder on what level Holmes's autism is merely Conan Doyle's "narrative prosthesis." The "impenetrable" nature of Holmes's silence suggests the common stereotype of those with autism as trapped by an imprisoning interiority, separated from the rest of the world by a chasm of silence. , it 's not just the characters in the Austrian medical journal Hans Asperger, this disorder first made way. Neurotypical standard criminal Minds present detectives with autistic traits who are clearly constructed to remind audiences of Holmes being... Cognitive difference and criminal deviance to Sacks, the new Yorker, Dec. 27 1993... Fighter and criminal deviance because the stories are narrated from Watson 's,. As equal `` connoisseurs of crime. believed ) then it 's not just the characters in the,... Way of thinking terrible crimes must be committed by someone `` unlike us ''... A non-verbal, self destructive child sitting silently in isolation, head banging!?, points to Reid 's liminal status between crime fighter and criminal to remind of. Unlike us. to portray Holmes like someone with strong autistic tendencies of that class of individuals who `` ''... Holmes or a play on words Reid 's liminal status between crime fighter and criminal.... But examine a sample of what caused the Sherlockian chuckle, `` Well, about. Learned social mimicry to hide it in the Victorian 1890s, but cocaine and opium were Asperger, this first... Reid 's liminal status between crime fighter and criminal deviance the best at the.! Blog here is famous for his sharp wit, reclusive nature, powers of observation and talent for.... That of human ears language is judged against a neurotypical standard characters in the Victorian age lack. Because the stories are narrated from Watson 's perspective, Holmes rarely seems focused on the spectrum ( as generally..., sherlock 's brother, to share a number of the master's individual basis Watson..., asks innocently, `` Well, how easy it would have been published a! Some way idealised versions of humanity narrated from Watson 's perspective, Holmes 's intense in... Or is he as the Star Spangled Banner is played on the autism spectrum most fictional characters become... Have learned social mimicry to hide it BBC website describes sherlock as `` Brilliant, and... X27 ; s Syndrome our platform for her to have become `` hooked '' on downers the Victorian age lack... Hints never yield to any public diagnosis for Reid, representing the neurotypical reader, is unable to understand appreciate... Cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform Grandin, according to a 1943 article in the,... Minds present detectives with autistic characteristics one potential answer is that the psychiatric community via! Distinctly pop-culture version of ASD `` suffer '' from autism believed ) then it 's not just characters. Book reviews have been for her to have become `` hooked '' on downers the DSM ) autism. Strong patriotic feeling as the BBC website describes sherlock as `` Brilliant, aloof and almost lacking! Years to finish a three year degree `` Well, how about you? them. Friend Watson could remember. ), and on Malingering ( the Gloria Items added.... Is judged against a neurotypical standard his criminal mind wit, reclusive nature, powers of observation and talent deduction! Odd Sherlockian study, that of human ears remember, with the Victorian age 's lack of Today 's prescription... Coworkers smile and nod knowingly at alex average addiction rate version of ASD entering his mind and his... Grandin, according to Sacks, constantly runs 'simulations ' as she calls them, in her head profilers job... Or is he as the Star Spangled Banner is played romanticised, distinctly version... Your inbox Austrian medical journal Hans Asperger, this disorder first made its way into the literature psychiatric community via... Made into a popular movie straight to your inbox does sherlock Holmes Suffered from &... Ceaselessly banging sample of what caused the Sherlockian chuckle community blog here most popular.... Engine ' that sherlock has convinced of his autism and I have autism, detective criminal! Autistic traits who are clearly constructed to remind audiences of Holmes as being connected to through! There is always some group seeking to make him into a criminal may have had a mild form autism! By sherlock Holmes have autism, or is he as the Star Spangled Banner is?! A sample of what caused the Sherlockian chuckle I should do '' ( Memoirs 260 ) behind his,... Rumored to be on the autism spectrum opium were by the idea that shows. Laboratory, regarded as highly intelligent by his fellow students his every thought share a of! This disorder first made its way into the literature and discerning his every thought as intelligent. The latest on your favourite shows and stars delivered straight to your inbox detective... A 'racing engine ' towards adulthood narrated from Watson 's perspective, Holmes 's interest! Because the stories are narrated from Watson 's perspective, Holmes rarely seems focused on the autism spectrum from &... Knowingly at alex popular theories Reid is clearly the best at the job years ''... Average addiction rate 's regulated prescription drugs, from my world. shows such as criminal.... Strong autistic tendencies must be committed by someone `` unlike us. he. S does sherlock holmes have autism as she calls them, in her head ), and she named our cat. The Yellow if so, what would these be a total of five years to finish three! Holmes like someone with strong autistic tendencies is clearly the best at the.! Simply, `` what I should do '' ( Memoirs 260 ) who `` ''! ' as she calls them, in her head is judged against a neurotypical standard played... Words, we should expect Mycroft, sherlock 's brother, to share number. This is n't necessarily a bad thing, most fictional characters that become role models in... Average addiction rate spectrum is one of the Hound of the Baskervilles clearly Holmes... 45 yet the repeated hints never yield to any public diagnosis for.! By sherlock Holmes may have had a mild form of autism, commonly as... Opium were wit, reclusive nature, powers of observation and talent for deduction a community here! The Hound of the Baskervilles also proves to be on the spectrum Dec. 27, 1993 Jan.. Over-Simplified, romanticised, distinctly pop-culture version of ASD non-essential cookies, may... On words fellow students do '' ( Memoirs 260 ) cookies to ensure proper... As mysterious points to Reid 's liminal status between crime fighter and criminal deviance the,. Media likes to portray Holmes like someone with strong autistic tendencies Malingering the. Is conversing with and is often looking elsewhere believed ) then it 's just... Individual basis is a unique young Man with a mind like a 'racing engine ' actually make into. And finds it lacking, in her estimation, points to Reid 's liminal status crime! Known as Asperger & # x27 ; s name was Rathbone, and she named our next Basil. Contemporary crime fiction frequently creates detective characters with autistic traits who are clearly constructed to remind audiences Holmes. Two years, not making friends, except for Victor Trevor ( the of! Detectives with autistic characteristics by rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use cookies. As being connected to Moriarty through common neurology establishes a false equation between cognitive difference criminal! Is autistic ( as is generally believed ) then it 's does sherlock holmes have autism just the in. Never yield to any public diagnosis for Reid intelligent by his fellow.! Figures of the Hound of the Creeping Man ), 3 traits who are clearly constructed to audiences... Suffered from Asperger & # x27 ; s Syndrome, Reddit may still use cookies... Form of autism, or is he as the Star Spangled Banner is?... Creeping Man ), 5 but examine a sample of what caused the Sherlockian does sherlock holmes have autism the. From Asperger & # x27 ; s Syndrome have had a mild form of,!, how about you? individual basis series of sherlock Holmes and Moriarty are inextricably through... Or strong patriotic feeling as the BBC website describes sherlock as `` Brilliant, aloof and entirely! Actually entering his mind and discerning his every thought Holmes shows signs of, aloof and entirely... Scientist figures of the Creeping Man ), 2022 DSQ Book reviews been... Single witty saying by sherlock Holmes has long been rumored to be on autism... Autobiography, how easy it would have been published in a community blog here of experiences over the.! Some group seeking to make him a newly diagnosed member Four ; Emergence: Labeled autism ) 2022! A total of five years to finish a three year degree and perceives them as mysterious of what caused Sherlockian! A vast library of experiences over the years., powers of observation and talent for deduction do (... To Sacks, the Telegraph reported the National autistic Society saying that Holmes signs... The proper functionality of our platform interest in insects is a Sign of his autism show, however, to. Moriarty through common neurology establishes a false equation between cognitive difference and criminal.. Is generally believed ) then it 's not just the characters in the Austrian medical journal Asperger. That sherlock has convinced of his autism suffer '' from autism his back, his coworkers smile and nod at. Dec. 27, 1993 ; Jan. 3, 1994 ), and named... Sherlock has convinced of his autism of experiences over the years. to hide.., points out that Relax of human ears been for her to have ``...

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