June Activity Post

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

For this month’s activity I have been inspired by an excellent Holmestice fic The Better Part of Valour, in which we see Holmes and Mycroft afresh through Mr. Melas' eyes.

So the activity this month is to describe canon characters. To be more exact:

those characters that are already described thoroughly in canon, describe them from another angle;

those that have very little description, fill in the gaps;

and those who aren’t well described—like Mrs. Hudson—but have gathered a traditional appearance over the years, perhaps start afresh with a new description.


For example, for Mrs. Hudson:


She was a little above average height and though she dressed plainly, always retained a clear air of elegance—as if at any moment she might throw on a cloak and exit for a afternoon tea party. Her hair especially spoke of time and effort spent before the mirror each morning. Watson occasionally caught Holmes making surreptitious notes about Mrs. Hudson’s current choice of impressive coiffure, the detective casually setting his pen aside when his landlady turned that direct and knowing gaze on him.



As always, you needn’t take part in this activity if you don’t wish to. Once you’re a member, you can post what and when you want—as long as you keep to the 500 words or less wordcount and the ACD Holmes ‘verse. AUs, crossovers and fusions are all permitted, as long as the characters remain essentially recognisable as the original ACD versions.

Please see the profile for the full posting guidelines!

Comments

[katleept.livejournal.com]

Would it be acceptable to describe a character, or characters, from a certain viewpoint that MAY have been written about in cannon but which we ourselves have not actually read in cannon before?

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

Yes, I think that's fine. It's really an exercise in imagination and taking a closer look at a character, so don't worry about the possibility of unconsciously echoing something in one of the stories you haven't read yet ^__^

Inspector Hopkins

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

Inspector Hopkins is the perfect specimen of a man. He is tall, with a kind face, although it can turn stern at times. He has sensitive fingers, and strong arms. He has a few scars on his arms, (and one on a toe), but they just serve to demonstrate his bravery. His grey eyes shine, and his face, when he smiles lights up.

Re: Inspector Hopkins

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

What a beautiful piece of description from Miss Mouselet ^__^ And how intriguing that one scar on the toe is...

Re: Inspector Hopkins

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

Just like the man :)

Re: Inspector Hopkins

[okapi1895.livejournal.com]

Aw. Yes, I'd been pondering how to go about this activity, but Mouselet has shown the way.

Excellent description of a gallant soul through the eyes of one who knows him so well.

Re: Inspector Hopkins

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

Her participation was inevitable, really.

Holmes on Lestrade

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

Inspector Lestrade had nothing physical to particularly define him, which worked to his advantage when he was searching for suspects. He could be in a public house and would disappear amongst the throng until it was time to make the arrest. Watson’s descriptions of Lestrade impersonating various animals were not entirely accurate and was more a reflection of the man’s internal attributes. Which is indeed more important – I am only too aware how an attractive face can conceal the horrors beneath, or vice versa.

No, what was particularly interesting about Lestrade was how he related to Watson. It was clear from the start there was an attraction between them, but Lestrade was married, they were both upright gentlemen, and the deep love between Watson and Miss Morstan, once they had met, was completely genuine. But later, when they were both widowers, the possibility of sharing lodgings was not unreasonable, and once I had found somewhere suitable for them not far from Baker Street, I was keen to encourage them to move in. It was an excellent solution all round.

Re: Holmes on Lestrade

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

I think this is lovely - are you going to post it on AO3?

I really like the idea that Lestrade is an everyman in appearance, and that Watson's descriptions were about Lestrade's personality. And I loved your idea that it was Holmes who played matchmaker for Lestrade and Watson later on.

Re: Holmes on Lestrade

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much - I hadn't originally planned to, but I think I will. I could do it as part of a series of characters looking at other characters (multi-fandom).

I'm so pleased you liked it :)