RTW: You Only Live Twice
How many Road Trip Wednesdays have I done? Do I need to explain what RTW is? Not that I know whether or not I have new followers (grumble grumble GFC), but in the event I do, and you don’t know what RTW is all about, it’s a meme hosted by YA Highway. They set the topic, we blog about it, and they host the links to our blogs. We all then read one another’s answers. It’s lots of fun, so join in if you haven’t already! Today’s question:
If you could be reincarnated as any fictional character, which would it be?
First off, for the record, I don’t believe in reincarnation (and if you’ve been following this blog for any amount of time, you probably figured that out)–but for the fun of it, here’s my answer:
No, not Sherlock Holmes, but the man to his right: Dr. John H. Watson, Sherlock Holmes’s trusted and faithful companion, and the author of his adventures. Watson is clever in his own right (he’s a doctor, after all), and a good student. But he has a life, love interests, and so forth. He’s not as absorbed and single-minded as Sherlock Holmes, which I think is more in-line with my character. Who wouldn’t want to be a genius like Holmes? But it would come at a great price, and I don’t think I’d want to pay it. As Watson, though, I’d have first-hand access to the man himself, be able to study his methods, learn what I can, and be a part of the action as he solves cases. And I’d be able to exercise my writing skills documenting each escapade, even seeing my work published!
How would you answer this question? You can answer in the comments, or better yet, join in the Road Trip Wednesday fun over at the YA Highway blog!
A very wise choice indeed. People forget how smart Watson is in his own right!
Thanks, Cole. And Martin Freeman is not a bad-looking dude, so that can’t hurt. đ
I agree with Miss Cole, it’s a very very wise choice đ and it sounds like it would be very fun too! (oh and I had to smile at your little rant about GFC :P)
Thanks, Elodie. I know, I do go on about that whole GFC thing, and while on one level I don’t mind not knowing how many blog readers I have (I know from the comments who’s regularly visiting), but having that number is a nice gauge of how well I’m doing writing blog articles that interest people enough they want to subscribe. Oh well. đ
Agreed! Excellent choice! Sometimes those secondary characters are much more fun and not as complicated. And now my brain is stuck on other characters I DIDN’T consider. Also, love the post title!
I thank you, and so does Ian Fleming! đ I would love to have Holmes’s brain, but he can keep his personality. My social skills are bad enough as it is! đ
Good answer! To be in such close proximity to someone like Sherlock, but not have to actually be him would be good. đ And to echo Alison, I love the title of this post too!
I wrestled with the title of the post longer than the question (though I thought hard about that too)! But that’s common for me–I’m not good at titles. And I stole this one; it seemed the most appropriate one I could think of. đ
Excellent choice! I’m being reminded of characters I didn’t even think about when picking this week’s RTW!
I would love Sherlock’s powers of deduction but I would prefer Watson’s personality along with it. Sherlock is a little too socially inept despite the genious that he is.
Thank you, Robin! I suppose I could say that Holmes’s social ineptness would be a good fit for me… but I don’t know that I’m *that* socially clueless. I like to think my people skills include compassion and thoughtfulness, and I don’t know that I would be willing to forfeit them to have Holmes’s genius.
Great answer and great character. It would be cool to be close to a character and be able to study them but still have a live outside their single-mindedness
Thanks, Carrie! Watson is a great character. He’s the perfect foil for Holmes because he’s not as smart, but he’s not stupid either. He doesn’t have Holmes’s powers of observation and deduction, but he can see the science in the methodology, and he has enough wits about him to be of use to the great detective.
Ah! Always loved Watson way more than Holmes. Great choice đ
I don’t know that I like him more than Holmes, but he’s definitely my favorite side-kick/companion. Thanks, Suzanne! đ
Great answer! Watson is just as important in the whole scheme of things as Holmes.
Thanks, Samantha! As much as meeting Holmes changed Watson’s life, I think it was also the best day in Sherlock’s life, too. Watson was probably the best friend Holmes ever had, and friendships like that can’t help but improve a person. đ
Good choice! Watson would be awesome. đ I thought about BBC’s Sherlock and Molly Hooper but I’m not sure if I would want her job…
Yeah… it wouldn’t be too hard on me if I looked like Martin Freeman, either. đ
LOVE your choice! Love Watson! I used to play as a kid a game where I was Sherlock Holmes….so lol if you ever need a Sherlock I’m totally available, Colin. đ Holmes and Watson had a great friendship and I loved reading about their adventures as a kid and watching all the films/tv version.
I’ve had a long-standing affection for Holmes and Watson. My favorite “classic” TV version is the Jeremy Brett Holmes, but I’m a huge fan of the new series (Benedict Cumberbatch). And, while I wouldn’t want to live my life as Sherlock, if it was for play, I might have to fight you for the lead role! Maybe we could take it in turns to be Watson. đ
Awesome choice! The Sherlock Holmes stories are some of my very favorites and part of my love for them is because of the good doctor.
Thanks, Tyler-Rose! He’s an excellent choice as a narrator: he’s intelligent enough to be able to relate the cases and even give some insight into injuries and wounds, but he’s also able to tell a good story. đ
Oooh, good one. I’ve got something a little different going on this week so I’m not sure I’ll get to RTW today–but your post really got me thinking…(also, Watson is awesome, just in general.)
I see you’re doing the NPR YA thing. Cool! Well, if you feel inspired, you can always post a quick response. I’d be interested to see what you’d say, Mrs. S. đ
Watson is a great, great choice! And you would get to be friends with Holmes, nice uh?!
Thanks, Juliana. And it’s no small feat for Watson to be such close friends with Holmes. I don’t know that anyone has got to know him so well, and even earned Holmes’s respect and friendship–things he clearly doesn’t give out lightly.
Watson really is a great character. I agree with you that I wouldn’t want to be Holmes himself, since he loses touch with the parts of life that Watson embraces. Though, I can’t really say much about not choosing extreme characters due to my own RTW pick this week. *cough*
LOL! I just saw your response. I’ll leave a comment there, but I think the same for The Doctor as I do Holmes–I wouldn’t want to be the man himself, but I’d gladly be his companion. Perhaps a Jamie McCrimmon, or an Ian Chesterton. đ
Watson is an awesome choice. I would be too overwhelmed to be Holmes. Great post. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for commenting,MsFairyFreak! It would be an incredible burden to be Holmes, but Watson takes on his own share of responsibility being so closely associated with him. So, while Watson is an easier character to be, it wouldn’t be all fun and games. đ
You get like, a million points in my book for picking Watson. I am a huge Sherlock Holmes fan, and Watson is a very interesting character. Like you said, he’s a more balanced version of Holmes — he’s intelligent and observative, but still maintains time for himself and his own life.
Awww… thanks, Nickie! đ I think in particular I couldn’t treat people the way Holmes does. I mean, yeah, sure, sometimes I feel like venting and giving people that “how can you live inside that little head of yours” look–but I can’t do it. I like people too much! For Holmes it’s the puzzle, the problem, that matters; the people are just a part of the equation–either part of the solution or part of the problem. Watson actually cares about the people involved, and it’s to Holmes’s benefit he’s there to remind him that it’s important to care about the people too! đ
Good choice! I would also choose Watson over Holmes. Holmes is just a tad too narcissistic and never seems to be happy. Watson at least tries đ
Thanks, Kat! One of the things I like about Holmes’s narcissism is that it’s based in logic and fact, not in ego. But he clearly does have his pride, and he can have his feelings hurt. But if I had to be one of them, it would be Watson. I much prefer his people skills, and the fact that he’s clever but compassionate, too. And possibly one of the few people to be able to handle/put up with Holmes!
Loving the modernized version of Sherlock too! And good choice–Sherlock lives up to Watson’s description that he makes everyone want to punch him in the face far too well.
lol–yes! The new Sherlock is such fun, and captures brilliantly Sherlock’s character as he would be in a modern context. The thing that surprised me most is Sherlock’s use of texting. I don’t know why, but I thought he would be a bit of a Luddite–but I think they got it right. Of course he would text, and use the internet for quick research. Excellent stuff!
Brilliant answer Colin! It made me mull for a while over who I’d rather be, or who I’d fit better, out of the pair…. on one hand Watson is reasonable, sensible, and nice, and I’m too self-conscious to ignore the world like Sherlock does.
But then I thought about those moments when I’m too intensely focussed on something and fail at the social side of behavior (happens more often than I’d like to admit), the affinity for wool coats, the strange up-and-down manias that can hit… and the mind palace, of course (obligatory gif!), because sometimes writing is just that. Exactly that. (But only on the good days.)
So I think if I could be either of them, I’d be Sherlock.
Thanks, Emma. Yes, I suppose when I get in “the zone” I can be pretty single-minded and focused. But Sherlock seems to be that way 24/7, and I don’t think I can live like that. I would still prefer Watson, I think. đ
A very wise choice!
Thanks, Viklit! đ