Mark Sullivan wrote:
Jay, I don't see how your examples (this or Marlowe) are
amoral. They may sometimes pursue "ends justify the means"
strategies, but those ends are very moral, at least in their
intentions. I can see your argument that their actions may be
amoral or even immoral, but I would define the concept by
motive.
To me, if a character believes in right and wrong, he cannot
be amoral, only moral or immoral, both of which accept the
validity of the same concept, whether or not they choose to
do right -- to give an extreme example, Satanists (at least
pop culture ones, don't know any real ones, well, none that I
know of) define themselves in oppostion to good to such a
degree that they say prayers backwards. Amorality means
someone does not even accept or even acknowledge right and
wrong, but lives by his or her own rules.
Mark:
If Marlowe's motive is to protect Carmen and Vivian Sternwood
from Eddie Mars, and to keep their father from finding out
that Carman killed Gen Sternwood's friend Rusty Regan, that
is admirable. It is wrong in his mind to let the general die
in despair, and to have Vivian in the clutches of Eddie, who
will get his hands on the Sternwood fortune. It is a kind of
justice to prevent this. But this motive causes him to
acknowledge Eddie's untouchability by the law (that's just
realistic), and to talk to him about not doing his worst as
far as the Sternwoods are concerned. It seems to me that
Marlowe has to give Eddie a practical reason (to make it
worth his while) for going easy on the Sternwoods. The
consequence of this motive seems to involve some kind of
negotiation with Eddie Mars which will (in the long run)
strengthen Eddie. I can't see this as a moral act. Marlowe
himself seems to realize that what he is doing is not moral.
I mean, in this and other novels, he is willing to sully
himself so that his clients get what they deserve (if they
level with him). He is very scrupulous, but I cannot bring
myself to believe he is *or can be* moral in his dealings
with crooks, racketeers, politicans and businessmen. I think
he must be amoral in some of his actions (however admirable
in motive), in the interest if a higher good or a higher
justice than American institutions can provide.
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