Connecting Through Dashes in Enola Holmes
by Mia Burke
Enola spelled backwards spells alone,
laments our forsaken heroine from her remote home, Ferndell Hall, at the opening of this Victorian-era piece. The Netflix original, Enola Holmes (2020). The movie is based on the novel of the same name, which introduces Sherlock Holmes' untamed younger sister, Enola (Millie Bobby Brown).
The Holmes brothers, Mycroft (Sam Claflin) and Sherlock (Henry Cavill), descend on Ferndell Hall in search of their mother Eudoria (Helena Bonham Carter), who's suddenly gone missing. In their (mostly Enola's) search, Enola recalls her mother's instruction in self-sufficiency and caution that she is alone.
"Privacy is the highest virtue and the one most violated."
"Our future is up to us."
"Paint your own picture Enola, don't be thrown off course by other people, especially men."
But is she?
Finding You (2020). Image courtesy of Lana Campher on Unsplash.
Through the course of the story, Enola finds she cannot locate Eudoria alone. She encounters many helpers: Sherlock, Lord Tewkesbury, (Louis Partridge) Edith, (Susie Wokoma) even Eudoria herself (through her clues, training, and money).
She receives some via negativa assistance from the likes of Lestrade, (Adeel Aktar) the Man in the Brown Bowler Hat (Burn Gorman), the Dressshop Owner, as well as Grandmother Tewkesbury (Frances de la Tour) either in the form of irony or lies.
Enola fully believes throughout her journey; she's alone. She relies on her instincts, deductive abilities, and her mother's words to reinforce this belief. It brings to mind a proverb that warns,
Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
A reminder that some of the things I trust in: my feelings, what appears to be, etc., aren't always trustworthy.
Do we put too much stock in our feelings?
Our Boy Dash
Enter Dash. One of the most profound sources of help, her imaginary dog, the pinecone on a leash, Dash.
Ah, Dash. The cute little pinecone turned friend makes only three brief appearances, short in duration but big on impact for Enola. He is a reminder of who she is. And the fact, what she has never been, isn't, nor ever will be-is alone.
His first appearance is at Sherlock's remembrance at Ferndell Hall, when he recalls the "pup's" existence and the very young Enola's affection for him. This reminder of who Enola was and the fact that Dash, along with her family, loved and fawned over her in her early years begins Enola's realization that she had a friend and, at one time, a loving family.
Later, at Miss Harrison's (Fiona Shaw) school, Sherlock leaves Dash on Enola's bed as a reminder of who she is. During the second act, Enola discovers that she is quite capable of caring for herself and utilizing the relationships and people around her not only to solve the mystery of Eudoria's disappearance but who's at the heart of the attempted murder of Lord Tewkesbury. She connects with clues (ergo people) and returns to her earlier observation,
"Perhaps one shouldn't read too much into the alone idea."
Dash's final appearance isn't of Sherlock's doing but the now confident and friended Enola at her cryptic "meeting" with her brothers at the Royal Academy. Enola leaves Dash in a conspicuous place for Sherlock to find, revealing to him secretly that she has found hope and confidence for her future.
A closer look (2020). Image courtesy of Timothy Dykes on Unsplash.
Dash is a physical reminder to Enola that she has never been and will never be alone. It reminds me of God's commitment to us in Isaiah 41:10, where he promises,
"Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand."
I love that this promise, though said through the Prophet Isaiah, is in the first person. God is personally speaking to us that though things appear, feel, even smells of the fact that we are alone, we are not.
Sherlock says it best,
"It's always there, the truth. If you look for it."
Truth is concrete regardless of circumstance, how things appear, and our feelings. The truth is we're never alone.
Are we really alone?
And Enola's quip at the end of the movie can be something for our consideration,
"Now, I see being alone doesn't mean you have to be lonely."
Could the cause of our loneliness be our perception or disappointed expectations? Can we instead choose to find comfort in what is already around us in the seen and unseen? Can we choose gratitude and acknowledge those who see us- and that be enough? Only we can answer that.
Resources
We’ve created a free downloadable PDF to explore the article deeper. It contains discussion questions about the topic in general terms that will give you a jumping-off point for beginning a conversation.
The second page contains a way to see the topic from a biblical perspective.
And finally, to go deeper into the subject, we have chosen a few curated resources to explore from other authors’ and thinkers’ research or perspectives.
Read. Engage. Enjoy!
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