Class Blog

This time I want to focus on a conversation between Brigid and Spade from chapter 8. From the conversation, I think the real personality of Brigid begins to reveal. The author uses a cluster of similar expression to describe Brigid’s tone and manner such as “She twisted her head around to smile up at him with playful insolence”(page 84), “Mockery rippled in a smile on her face” and “she smiled impudently”. All these sentences indicate her lively side instead of being a demure lady. Maybe that’s because she’s getting more and more familiar with Spade therefore she can unfold herself without reservation before his eyes. As the case develops, the relationship between Spade and Brigid becomes even more complicated: they have also become intimate in private life beyond simple detective-client mode. On page 87, Spade pointed out her fear towards Cairo: “’I can understand your being afraid of Cairo,’ Spade said. ‘ He’s out of your reach.’ ‘And you aren’t?’ ’ Not that way,’ he said and grinned.” The ambiguous respond from Spade disturbs Brigid’s mind therefore “She blushed.” And that’s the sentence that triggers Brigid to tell Spade more information about the falcon putting aside the authenticity of what she provides. His remark is a statement that says “I am within your reach” from another way to interpret, which makes a commitment to Brigid ensuring her to rely on him with a sense of security. This dialogue also implies further development of their relationship (mostly physically) which can be confirmed in the following passage. Although Spade seems to be more amiable to Brigid than usual, he still prevails in the confrontation with her. Spade is quite “unpredictable” to her (“’You’re altogether unpredictable, ‘she murmured. “Page 84.) and Spade also acknowledges this point.(“Yes, and wild and unpredictable.” Page86.) He responded to this comment with witticism: “My way of learning is to heave a wild and unpredictable monkey-wrench into the machinery. It’s all right with me, if you’re sure none of the flying pieces will hurt you.”, a reply exactly demonstrating his unpredictability. Compared with Brigid, Spade always acted as nonchalant and flippant. Like “For several minute they ate in silence, he phlegmatically, she thoughtfully. “and “His voice was good-humored.” while she being “her gaiety vanished’ and “Spade studied her anxious face”. The contrast between attitude of Spade and that of Brigid creates a dramatic contradictory. Besides, the author uses lots of strong words to highlight Spade’s masculinity such as “domineering stare”, “squinted”, “scowled” and “demanded”. This chapter helps build Spade’s frivolous as well as tough image, by revealing how Brigid surrenders to Spade’s machismo, and it is a key point for their relationship since their affinity has burgeoned.

There are so many dishonest characters in Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon that it becomes difficult to distinguish between who is on protagonist Sam Spade’s side and who is not. A good way to keep track of this is to realize that there is not one single person in the work who lives outside of San Francisco and is trustworthy. This fact combined with the repetitive reference by Spade to San Francisco being his town is extremely interesting to many because it suggests that outsiders are evil and unwanted which completely contradicts the basic principals upon which this country was created. When looked at closely it can be seen that nearly every conflict of the work results from the actions of one of three people: Brigid O’Shaughnessy, Joel Cairo, or Mr. Gutman; all three of which happen to be foreigners. From her several aliases to her habit of telling stories, Brigid O’Shaughnessy creates many problems for Spade, and even causes his partner, Mr. Archer, to be killed by yet another foreigner, Floyd Thursby. It is very clear to the reader that Joel Cairo is also an antagonist of the work from the moment he is introduced. The very first description that the audience receives of Cairo is Effie Perine’s statement, “This guy is queer.” It should also be noted that Mr. Gutman is not a San Francisco native and is, at this point in the plot Spade’s greatest threat. Also, the Maltese Falcon itself is a foreign artifact and is the source of all distress in the novel.

The interesting part of the issue of nationality actually is a little bit deeper from than the surface, and must be attained through close reading of the actual language of the text. All of the criminals in the work, with the exception of Thursby who is really just a pawn anyway and not necessarily a “bad guy,” are not described in a masculine way. Most obviously, O’Shaughnessy is a female and has many curves, which is in no way masculine. Joel Cairo is described in a very feminine way and also has zero angles, and Gutman is large and fat, which is also far from the idea of the time of what a man was. All three characters severely lack the angles and masculinity of Spade. Considering that this is a Film Noir era novel, it can be assumed that the absence of masculine qualities makes these characters evil and untrustworthy.

Going back to the idea of nationality, masculinity also plays a role in that. Through close reading it can be seen that everyone from San Francisco, including Spade’s beloved secretary Effie Perine with her “boyish face,” in some way portrays the idea of the man during the Film Noir era. Not coincidently Spade, the hero, trusts and relies on everyone from San Francisco for information and assistance, but cannot count on any foreigner to help him. Essentially every time that Spade tells the villains that they are in his town, and he will not be defeated on his own turf Hammett is commenting not only that, in accordance with the national insecurities of the time, the United States cannot and will not be defeated by outside forces, but also that the “macho man” is the ideal man and will always triumph over those who are not excessively masculine. By looking closely at the actual language of the work it is clear that The Maltese Falcon is about far more than simply murder and a bird; it is a bold commentary on the dominance of the United States over the world as well as that of the “real men” over femininity.

“She lifted her cup to her lips again. Spade, not moving the domineering stare of his yellow-grey eyes from her face, began to make a cigarette.”(87)

As the quest to obtain the Maltese Falcon continues on, Sam Spade develops and evolves into a whole new class of masculinity. Spade always came off as manly with his “V” shaped face and body and his suave personality, but now, he has turned into a whole new beast, literally. The domineering stare of his eyes, yellow, just like those of a falcon, show that he isn’t playing around anymore. Spade is getting down to business in the most efficient way possible at any cost.

This trend of yellow eyes continues as Spade and Brigid O’Shaughnessy are getting intimate. Yet again, Spade is taking control of the situation and, at any cost, getting what he wants. As his eyes begin to “burn yellowly”, it is clear that he has the power, and he is dominant, just like a falcon is (89). Spade has taken a new approach to getting this job done and as the people around him change and develop, he manages to as well.

A falcon is a predator of the sky. As it flies high above the ground it uses its yellow eyes to seek out and attack its prey. Sam Spade is a falcon. As he enters the lobby of the hotel in search of Cairo, he spots instead the boy who had been tailing him. At this point, “points of yellow light begin to dance in his eyes” (93). Spade has found his prey. Without hesitation, he approaches the boy and makes his intentions clear; he is not messing around.

As the novel heats up and the characters of San Francisco develop and change, often for the worst, Sam Spade’s inner falcon comes out in order for him to complete the task at hand at whatever the cost.

“When he had finished he made and drank a cup of coffee. Then he unlocked the kitchen-window, scarred the edge of its lock a little with his pocket-knife, opened the window–over a fire escape–got his hat and overcoat from the settee in the living-room, and left the apartment as he had come.” (Page 91, 3rd Paragraph)

 

This passage occurs the morning after Brigid O’Shaughnessy stayed with Sam Spade as a result of his deceit. Though she had intended to leave the evening prior, he convinced her it was not safe to travel, tricking her into staying with him. While she slept, Spade removed her apartment key from her pocket and gained access to her home. His plan was to thoroughly search for the falcon while not alerting her to his presence in her home. To ensure she would not place the blame of searching her apartment on him, he took extra precautions to stage her apartment to appear it had been broken into. He opened the window over the fire escape and intentionally scarred the lock. By doing this, he knew Brigid would assume the scarred lock meant forced entry and the fire escape would have been the route the perpetrator had taken, drawing the suspicion away from him.

The underlying message of this passage is that Sam Spade is motivated by egocentrism. It was the main motivating factor that drove Sam Spade to deceive Brigid and go to her apartment with hopes of uncovering the falcon. Once he found out that there were others in search of the falcon, his desire to be the first to locate this highly sought after object increased. If he found it, others would recognize his superior investigative abilities and would be willing to bargain with him for possession of the falcon. He would gain recognition for his expertise. The second way this passage exemplifies Spade’s selfish desires is through his actions with Brigid. At the beginning of the novel, he accepted Brigid’s case both because she acted terribly upset and helpless when she first entered his office and because he found her attractive. He realized that taking her case would place the two of them in closer proximity. Preceding the above excerpt, Brigid had kissed Spade. She then stayed over night with him, having been manipulated to believe Sam cared for her well-being, when in actuality, he persuaded her to stay because he knew that if a kiss had already been initiated, there might be further relations. He also plotted to take her key and investigate further while she slept, having lured her into falsely believing his intentions were to keep her safe. This passage clearly demonstrates that this was false: Sam’s intentions were purely selfish, to gain both the falcon and notoriety and respect.

“’I distrust a man that says when’…’I distrust a close-mouthed man.’”

“’Ah, Mr. Spade,’ he said with enthusiasm…Spade took the hand and smiled.”

“’You’re the man for me, sir, a man cut along my own lines.’”

“The fat man’s eyes were dark gleams in ambush behind pink puffs of flesh.”

“Then Spade rose and stood close to the fat man, looking down at him, and Spade’s eyes were hard and bright. His voice was deliberate, challenging: ‘Here’s to plain speaking and clear understanding.’”

“’You see,’ he said blandly, ‘I must tell you what I know, but you will not tell me what you know. That is hardly equitable, sir. No, no, I do not think we can do business along those lines.’” (quotes from p. 105-109)

 

These quotes are taken from the first meeting between Gutman and Spade. The scene features the two men discussing the Maltese Falcon and the mystery surrounding it. One feature of the passage that stands out is the repetition of the word “distrust,” and the proximity of the related word “ambush.” Words such as these are jarring in the otherwise cordial conversation between Gutman and Spade. The contrast between which words are used and how they are used gives a good impression of the underlying tension in the passage, a tension that builds throughout the entire encounter. In the beginning of the passage, the words used to describe Spade and Gutman are pleasant: Gutman is enthusiastic and Spade smiles. As the passage progresses, the conversation between Gutman and Spade shifts from outwardly happy to merely polite, with phrases such as “politely attentive” used to describe Spade. Finally, Spade’s voice is described as “deliberate” and “challenging” while repeating Gutman’s mantra about “plain speaking and clear understanding.” The words used in the passage trace the breakdown of civil communication between Spade and Gutman, culminating in the sudden explosion of Spade’s temper at the end.

Another significant element of the passage is the repetition of the word “line.” Early on in the conversation, Gutman calls Spade “a man cut along my own lines.” This is a very ironic statement, since Gutman’s rolls of fat are nothing like Spade’s hard lines. The passage ends with Gutman saying to Spade “I do not think we can do business along those lines.” The concept of being along certain lines puts the underlying tension of the passage into words. Both Spade and Gutman have established certain boundaries, or lines, that neither will cross, from forced civility into a more authentic sense of hostility. The fact that Spade’s outburst directly follows the word “line” suggests that Gutman has crossed one of these unspoken lines, bringing the true tone of the conversation into the forefront.

By examining the conversation around Spade’s outburst, we can deduce the reason for his loss of temper. The comment that appears to set Spade off is the suggestion that he is not being fair—that the business agreement he is developing with Gutman is not “equitable.” If we look farther back in the story, Spade says to Brigid that he “doesn’t like being hit without hitting back.” This indicates a desire on Spade’s part to be on even footing with others, a trait that he prides himself on. When Gutman suggests that Spade is not being fair, he crosses a line. Spade’s pride is wounded, and he responds by shattering the tension of the scene.

“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. 

“Cairo’s face was darkened by a flush of annoyance. He put an ugly hand on wither arm of his chair, holding his small-boned body erect and stiff between them. His dark eyes were angry. He did not say anything” (Page 67)

As the mood switches and the power within the situation shifts from Cairo’s hands to Spade’s hands, Cairo’s visage drastically changes. From a once smooth and sultry, effeminate man, Cairo is turned into what seems to be an old, evil, angry, almost witch-like character. When Cairo had the power, he carried himself in a way that most would describe as over confident or cocky. Now that the power has been taken away from him, his face had been darkened, his hands were now weak and ugly, and his small body was stiff along the chair, just as would be the case for a witch.

Within this moment in the story, darkness is a repeated theme. Cairo’s face was dark, his eyes were dark, and in turn, his personality was dark. This shift towards darkness may mean that the story is now delving into the darkness that it may entail. Perhaps the dark pasts of the people of San Francisco are going to come forward, and perhaps people are no longer going to be willing to ask nicely to get what they want. Maybe Cairo is no longer going to beat around the bush with his demands and is now going to strive to get what he wants at any cost.

As the story progresses and the amount of drama builds up, the initial beauty wears away as the true colors of the people of San Francisco come into play. Sam no longer seems like the flawless ideal of a man, Brigid O’Shaughnessy no longer has the innocence that she once had, and Joel Cairo no longer has the power, the flash, or the confidence that he originally portrays. This, perhaps, could lead the story into the many twists, turns, and red herrings that most mysteries often have.

Gillian Horn

8-9-13

For the Extended Close Reading, I chose the passage on page 47, “Spade emptied the unconscious man’s pockets one by one, working methodically, moving the lax body when necessary, making a pile of the pockets’ contents on the desk…..” This passage is written after Cairo is knocked out by Spade. Cairo is lying on the ground unconscious, and Spade brings him up to a chair and sits him down. He goes straight to the pockets and starts to investigate. After he goes through the wallet, he takes what he finds and he goes to his desk and lights a cigarette and examines what he finds. He is very casual about what happens. I believe he seems very casual about this because it says he began to examine his spoils and he examined them with unhurried thoroughness. Rather than being worried about the unconscious man, he simply ignores him and makes his way right to his desk to get comfortable and smoke while he examines the things in the man’s pocket that he casually takes out.

Spade throughout the book shows this kind of action of being so laid back when it comes to comes across with other people. Clearly here it may not be so laid back to begin with, but he approaches things professionally with Cairo and he knows how to handle his suspects and his subjects while getting what he needs. Cairo is clearly frightened now about how much Spade can do and the threat that he may have on him now after beating him up.

One could say from the book so far, that spade would be described as a clever, BI polar, genius detective. He has methods of discovering things that will often help him but also hurt him. Most things for him are easy to work out, but he needs to put in the patience and it will be solved. he does lack patience, but he has many other qualities that take the place for that. He shows how aware and how simple he makes things when they are complicated through his encounter with Cairo. Clearly Cairo could’ve been very dangerous towards Spade, but Spade knew how to control the situation before it could get any more violent.

Deanna Ballard

Professor Kersh

FYS

9-3-13

Reaction Paper #1

 

“She was tall and pliantly slender, without angularity anywhere. Her body was erect and high-breasted, her legs long, her hands and feet narrow. She wore two shades of blue that had been selected because of her eyes. The hair curling from under her blue hat was darkly red, her full lips more brightly red. White teeth glistened in the crescent her timid smile made.” The Maltese Falcon Page 4

Dashiell Hammett uses very vivid, highly descriptive language when introducing his characters. The intense imagery he uses provides the reader with both a very detailed mental image of the character and a few hints about what the character’s personality is like.

In this specific passage, Hammett is introducing Miss Wonderly and describing her physical appearance in great detail, as he always does. This passage stands out not due to  the vivid imagery he uses, but from the sharp contrast to his description of her person, (her build, smile and voice from the previous passage). The description of her person, details about herself that she can not control, paint a picture of a very slight, quiet and potentially shy individual, whereas the description of her appearance, (her clothes, hair and makeup), details about herself that she can control, are very bold and suggest a strong, confident woman.

This sharp contrast between Miss Wonderly’s person and her appearance are indicative of a difference in the person she is on the inside and the person she wants to be viewed as from the outside. The discrepancy she creates implies that she has something to hide or is dishonest. Secrecy ties in nicely with the double murder mystery that is unfolding in front of us and suggests that other “facts” we’ve learned thus far in the story may not be true after all or that there is something else entirely going on.

Later in the story (pg 33), we find out that “Miss Wonderly” is actually Brigid O’Shaughnessy and that she is in fact hiding something. Hammett creating his female character to be this contradictory, dishonest creature was a result of the time this book was written in. This was an era of tension between the sexes; women were taking jobs that used to be done by men. As this progressed, men began to question their masculinity and what it meant to be a real man, so Hammett could not create a strong, trustworthy woman character that would compromise the masculinity of his male characters.