Gillian Horn
Seminar Writing
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
On page 53, I chose the passage that is after Spade finds Cairo at the Theater when he wonders off, and is telling him about the guy following him. Spade asks Cairo if he knows who this guy whose following and Cairo responds that he swears he has no idea. Cairo “ Wet’s his lower lip with his tongue” and asks if it was wise if the guy had seen them together. Spade questions Cairo, but then he responses again with “ I give you my word I do not know him, Mr. Spade. I give you my word I have nothing to do with him. I have asked nobody’s assistance except yours. on my word of honor”. Instead of being in the normal state we have seen Cairo and Spade mostly in the begging of the book which is argumentative, Cairo is somewhat praising of Spade at this current moment. He is showing Spade how much his view has changed on Spade and how loyal he wants to be towards him. I primarily chose this passage, because although it isn’t written that Cairo is “ gay”, this passage kind of gives a clear image that he could be towards Spade. The way he licks his lips, how kind he is towards Spade now, and his attitude. Although before in the begging where Spade first meets Cairo, the altercation they have doesn’t show much of Cairo’s love towards Spade because he tries to pull a gun on Spade, but I believe over the time of the book Cairo begins to realize how in the end Spade will win more things over him and how just being close to him would make things better.
I think that the fact Cairo may be gay plays a big part to the book because during this period of the book, gay isn’t a word that most people know quite yet and thoughts of homosexuality to people is a gross thought. Cairo in fear of embarrassment doesn’t come out to the town or to Spade, but he tries to show it in ways that only Spade can catch on to. In this example that I chose, he licks his lips which to most people is a sign of affection or like attraction, a clear sign that Cairo could be attracted to Spade. As mentioned before, in the begging of the book Cairo clearly has something against Spade because he believes he’s hiding something very important which causes fighting between them and him to get knocked out. I think that Cairo learns something important from that fight that if he wants any chance with Spade, he needs to get on his good side and realize that Spade is clearly the one with more power. Spade knows that he has a more powerful mind than Cairo, it is just that Cairo has to realize that. I think he finally does when Spade is able to track him down at the theater. That is why he says he gives Spade his “ word of honor”.
From taking the advice from Writing Analytically about observing text and making inferences, I believe that by observing the way Cairo acts, is able to allow me to make clear inferences on his interactions with other characters in the books, primarily with Spade. I think Cairo, although not a big part to the book, is a character that deserves a ton of observation. He does certain things that allow you to make judgements on his overall characteristics. When he is brought up with Spade in parts of the story, you see him in many different lights. While in the begging in the story you see him fighting with Spade almost facing near death by being knocked out to the middle of the story where he is telling Spade he gives his “ full honor” to him. This can give the reader many different thoughts to think about Spade and Cairo’s relationship throughout the book and helps the reader pin point certain actions that lay out in events between them.