claytonpitcher

I don’t find the example of Sherlock Holmes fitting. He’s not a particularly heroic character outside of his brilliance. Even though it was a “fan service” to contrive a way to have Holmes’ intelligence save him, there’s satisfaction in the success of wit. The details of characterization, in this case, matter.

It speaks to the adroitness of the director and the actors reoccurring in the director’s films when they are able to play roles – when compared, juxtaposed, whichever – that are able to be distinct from one another such that the actors aren’t “type-casted.” It’s incredible to see. It’s why it’s so easy to pick out a Tarantino movie once it’s described.

There’s a great episode entitled Deep Breath with the twelfth Doctor that exemplifies the Ship of Theseus thought experiment that I think you referred to. The Doctor is the embodiment of the question “who am I?” With the emphasis on the question “Doctor who?” in the revival of 2005, people are able to identify more with this mythic sage. He’s thousands of years old, and still has no idea who he is. He reminds me of Alice in Lewis Carroll’s eminent books; Alice can’t give an accurate account of who she is because she has changed so often. With the Doctor’s many faces, he is a reflection of all of us at once.

As an aspiring writer with a penchant for being rigorously correct while straying from cliches, this is a great list that I can refer back to later. In fact, I’m almost certain that the Lynne Truss book here is required for a course of mine coming up. Thanks!