If Sherlock Holmes was unable to look past the misleadingappearance of the Red-Headed League, he would not have beenable to uncover the true reality of the criminal plot lurkingunder the surface. Likewise, if one were to assume that JohnClay was the respectable man that he appears to be, he wouldnever get caught. Throughout the course of the story, ConanDoyle illustrates the many dangers in mistaking appearances forreality.