Jim wrote:
"Which brings me to another facet of the hard-boiled mystery
I've often suggested. Hard-boiled is largely (though not
exclusively) the province of the professional, both on the
detecting and on the criminal side. In the "traditional,"
both the detective and the criminal are both more likely to
be amateurs. Though, now that I've written it, I'm damned if
I know what the hell it has to do with this
discussion."
Perhaps it takes it back into matters of class. In order to
have the spare time to solve murders, the amateurs must be of
the leisure class. However, the pros are not even going to
get involved unless they are paid. They are doing a job. This
requires more practicality on the part of the detectives. It
makes them working stiffs, easier to identify with for most,
particularly American, readers, and gives them a real (at
least real within the confines of the genre) reason for
becoming involved with a corpse. Even though it is a cliche
for PIs to finish the job, even after being fired, they would
not be on the job in thte first place if they had not been
hired. In addition, the professionalism makes it more
believable that the detectives would have the skills and
knowledge needed to solve crimes.
Mark
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