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Re: RARA-AVIS: Dalmas is a man of honor
I actually like the interpretation of the "pearl-tossing" scene at the end
as masturbatory. I don't think, however, that Malowe's flight from women
and his pursuit of intimate relationships w/ men is evidence of an
underlying homosexuality. That is, the exact nature of his sexuality is a
mystery. What Chandler's stories demonstrate (duggan may have said this in
other words) is the homoerotics of conventional, heterosexual masculinity.
Women are attractive but dangerous, mysterious, unknown -- all expressions
of caring and intimacy seem reserved for other men (see Marlowe's
treatment not only of Lennox, but esp. of Wade in the middle of _TLG_).
Marlowe does not secretly wish he were nailing Phillips at the end --
Marlowe simply feels kinship with Phillips, a fellow "masturbator," one
who keeps women at a distance and shares himself only with himself (and,
at times, other men)
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Michael D. Sharp, Dept. of English, University of Michigan
(msharp@umich.edu)
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