In a message dated 97-12-05 19:24:38 EST, ED writes:
<< I think Spade is thoroughly sadistic. >>
Spade is not a Sadist, he's a Sadean. He is not interested in
Pain/Pleasure,
but rather in Power. The distinction is an important
one.
Spade reacts to the other characters' attempts to exert power
over him.
Spade's responses _are_ ruthless, but because he understands
that any lesser
response is an admission of another's power in relation to
him. They started
it, after all. Spade decks Cairo _after_ Cairo pulls a gun.
Spade can allow
Cairo to search his office after that because Spade--and
Cairo--know that it
happens at Spade's sufference.
Spade refuses to be bottom dog in any situation. He mocks
O'Shaughnessy when
she attempts to exert her power (of womanly wiles . . .) over
him.
O'Shaughnessy never has an honest emotion and Spade knows
that. Her tears are
always chains.
Hammett may even have been giving us a clue in SpADE's name.
;-j
When does Spade know O'Shaughnessy shot Archer?
I think he's got an inkling that O'Shaughnessy could be
guilty as early as
page 14 (Vintage). Spade's not dumb, he gets all the clues
when meets Polhaus
up the bank from Archer's body, and he knew Archer well
enough to despise him.
He uses those clues in accusing O'Shaughnessy on pages
208-209 (Vintage),
"Miles hadn't many brains, but, Christ! he had too many
years' experience as a
detective to be caught like that by the man he was shadowing.
Up a blind
alley with his gun tucked away on his hip and his overcoat
buttoned? Not a
chance. . . . But he'd've gone up there with you, angel . . .
He was just dumb
enough for that."
When O'Shaughnessy calls him in"fright", Spade knows what is
going on.
I've read the posts people have been making here about
_Falcon_ and it seems
to me that there is way too much sympathy for O'Shaughnessy.
A fine bunch of
Thursbys you'd turn out be. "Don't be so sure I'm as crooked
as I'm supposed
to be." Spade was sending her over from the get go. Love? Ha.
Power, pure
and simple.
Cheers,
myshmysh
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