“I think I’d rather die than that, Mr. Spade. I can’t explain now, but can’t you somehow manage so that you can shield me from them, so I won’t have to answer their questions? I don’t think I could stand being questioned now. I think I would rather die. Can’t you, Mr. Spade?” (Maltese Falcon 35)
This excerpt from Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon exemplifies Ms. Brigid O’Shaughnessy’s personality traits when she is suddenly immersed in the chaos of the detective lifestyle. Brigid’s excessive repetition of “you” and “Mr. Spade” shows her dependency on her detective, Sam Spade, and his ability to help her situation. Along with her repetition, the strands of words also express her need for Spade to “shield” (35) her from the interrogations she would have to face otherwise. The doubling of the words, “think” (35) and “question(s)” (35), add to her desperation while also calling into question her ability to think a situation through for herself.
These undermining portrayals of Brigid are further explained by her interactions with Sam Spade as the novel progresses. Her conversation with Spade about Thursby’s murder epitomizes her helplessness in the situation. Brigid’s use of “I don’t know” (38-39) correlates to her trouble expressing her problems while also relating back to her dependency on Spade’s assistance. In addition, when Spade explains: “this is hopeless […] I don’t even know if you know what you want”(39), he communicates the magnitude of the problem caused by her building dependency. Spade’s reaction is one that has escalated from foundations set from O’Shaughnessy’s previous aliases to her complete “[hopelessness]”(39) in asking for “[him] to somehow manage so that he can shield [her] from [the police]” (35). Brigid’s indecisiveness leads us to see just how desperate she is for Spade’s help. Her lack of knowledge on the situation shows how helpless she is without the direction that she is seeking from Spade.
Brigid clearly explains how she would do anything to stay away from the police by saying, “I would rather die than that” (35). Although, one binary is that Brigid goes to the extreme of dying while asking for help to avoid confrontation. She goes on to beg Spade to “shield [her] from [the police]” (35) when the typical thief would give in to death before asking for help. This aids to the opposite, within the passage, O’Shaughnessy asks Spade to “manage” (35) it so she will not have to speak with the police. Interestingly enough, although the word “manage” is used in this passage, nothing within the quote relates, or even hints, to being regulated by either person involved. Brigid’s use of the word “manage” (35) is connected to her desire for her situation to be handled by Spade.
Be that as it may, although Brigid’s attitude along with personality seems to be compromising, her actions may foreshadow events to come, not only regarding her future but the future of the Maltese Falcon as well. Since she is the only person who is in control of collecting the falcon, Brigid O’Shaughnessy could be a symbol for the Maltese Falcon. Her mysterious and confusing personality parallels that of the falcon. The fact that there is no straight answer in the midst of a web of lies connects Brigid and the Falcon symbolically. The fact that Brigid is so stationary in her actions are similar to the Falcon in that they are both in a compromising position that neither of them wants to be involved in. Both Brigid and the Falcon are pawns in this detective game. Brigid was an accomplice to Floyd Thursby’s bird-napping, she was not the thief, she was terrified for her life, forcing her to go along with him. Much like Brigid, the falcon did not want to go away with Thursby, it was scared for its life, therefore had no option. The parallels between Brigid and the falcon, I would say, go deep enough to say they are connected on some level. Whether it be with the situation or personally, I believe there is a connection.