Re: RARA-AVIS: Chemical Dependence and Hard-Boiledness

Roger Dowdy (rdowdy@sprintmail.com)
Sun, 16 Aug 1998 11:07:49 -0700 Bill Hagen wrote:
>
> So is the drinking in these novels often a matter of celebration of the male self?
> Or is it a dulling of pain, a softening of the hardness? Does the style sometimes
> become alcoholic (whatever that means)?

I've always thought the use of alcohol allows the character to "buffer" or emotionally
separate himself from the brutal world he continually finds himself (which he/she either
consciously or unconsciuosly seeks out). Off the top of my head I can't remember too
many characters that drink to celebrate but rather drink to forget or simply out of
necessity.

What I find very interesting is watching those characters who used to drink (e.g.
Scudder, Robicheaux) attempt to emotionally and psychologically deal with the gritty
world of the hardboiled sans alcohol.

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