![]() Even with the advent of Modern Art, it is still pretty tricky business to find a blonde Satan that looks pleasant. A representation of Satan with blonde hair before the advent of Modern Art is about almost as difficult to find as a black Jesus during the same period. It is more than that, however, because it is suggesting what he looks like is something that should not be expected. What is really suggesting that is Sam Spade looks like something that he really is not. The first paragraph ends with an unusual physical description of Sam Spade: “He looked rather pleasantly like a blond Satan.” That short, simple declarative sentence is deceptive it may be short, but hardly simple. Perhaps even more striking is that the questions being raised just below the surface of the narrative events point toward the motivation behind the central character’s actions in that narrative and yet no definitive answers are provided either explicitly or implicitly. What is especially impressive is the way in which this thematic tapestry can serve to enhance an appreciation of the narrative to those readers recognizing it while in no way undermining the appreciation of the novel for those who fail to intuit the underlying psychology. Just three paragraphs in, The Maltese Falcon uses character description to subtly hint at a theme which will be increasingly fleshed out as subtext. We are thankful for their contributions and encourage you to make your own. Until the last chapter where Hammet reveals Spade’s unerring sense of justice, the reader must guess whether or not Spade is just as crooked as the villains.These notes were contributed by members of the GradeSaver community. ![]() Without access to the characters’ thoughts or feelings, the reader becomes like a detective, judging each character’s motives, truthfulness, and integrity. For example, Spade does not know if Brigid loves him or, even, if he truly loves her.įinally, the novel is written in the third-person objective, which means Hammet presents most information through scene descriptions and dialogue instead of through the inner thoughts of the characters. Likewise, although the novel appears to end with Spade revealing the truth behind all the major deceptions, a final uncertainty remains about the unknowable inner feelings of the characters. Yet, as we learn at the novel’s conclusion, even the falcon is a lie, suggesting that no ultimate truths exist. The falcon itself represents the final truths for which Spade searches. In terms of the overall narrative, Spade’s pursuit of the truth becomes entwined with finding the statue of the Maltese falcon. Spade, on the other hand, remains largely honest with himself, never hiding his dislike for his dead partner or deceiving himself into believing that Brigid’s love is real. ![]() Likewise, in the story Spade tells Brigid, Flitcraft lies to himself about the inevitability of death. Brigid, who never admits to the lies, often tells Spade that she herself can’t tell the difference between when she’s telling the truth and when she isn’t. Spade is also the only character to see past other people’s deceptions, possibly because he mistrusts almost everyone.Ĭharacters in The Maltese Falcon also lie to themselves. While Spade uses deceptions and lies, however, he ultimately does so for justice rather than for wealth or personal gain. Even Spade, the novel’s protagonist, only succeeds in apprehending the criminals by deceiving them into thinking that he is a corrupt detective. ![]() Although Gutman does not mask his law-breaking, he does hide behind his supposed respect for plain speaking in order to perform other deceptions, like drugging Spade and using his daughter, Rhea Gutman, as bait. ![]() Unlike Brigid, who hides her criminal behavior, the arch-villain Casper Gutman openly discusses his desire for the statue of the Maltese falcon. Most notably, Brigid O’Shaughnessy masks her involvement in the murders by appearing powerless and in love with Samuel Spade. The Maltese Falcon's plot develops through a series of deceptions. ![]()
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