RARA-AVIS: Re: boy/girl/boy/girl & Marlowe

From: Kevin Burton Smith ( kvnsmith@thrillingdetective.com)
Date: 29 Aug 2001


Some concrete examples of Marlowe's sexism and racism would be greatly appreciated, at this point.

Because to simply dismiss Marlowe as some moralizing, racist sexist is to completely misread the character, to the extent I have to wonder if some of you ever read Chandler's books, or are relying on half-baked theories from people with their own political agendas who haven't read the books either.

Sure, by the standards of today that at least some of you hold, Marlowe was very much yesterday's man, but by that era's standards, he was definitely better than most. And really, even by today's standards, while nobody would consider him a bleeding heart, he still seems a far cry from the monster that some of you seem to see him as.

In the meantime, you want some sexism and dubious moralizing, read some of those allegedly "feminist" novels that sprung up post-Paretsky and Grafton. Or some of those neo-ultra-hard-boiled dick-waving extravaganzas trying to pass themselves off as VERY IMPORTANT BOOKS.

-- 
Kevin
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