Re: RARA-AVIS: Noir and Hardboiled Fiction

From: JIM DOHERTY ( jimdohertyjr@yahoo.com)
Date: 12 Dec 2003


Geir,

Re your question below:

> . . . don't you
> agree that we're
> discussing literature with fundamentally different
> views of life on this
> list?

If you mean do I agree that "hard-boiled" and "noir" are inherently mutually exlcusive, then, no, I absolutely do NOT agree.

One more time (and my apologies to those of you who've read this, but I didn't bring it up):

"Hard-boiled" is about attitude. "Noir" is about atmosphere. Neither one is about a particular world view.

That which is tough and colloquial is hard-boiled.

That which is dark and sinister is noir.

That which is tough and colloquial, and dark and sinister is both hard-boiled and noir.

The McCoys, Thompsons, and Cains of the world aren't the sine qua non of noir. They're just pessimists and nihilists. Pessimists and nihilists might be noir, or they might be hard-boiled, or they might be both, or they might be neither. World-view isn't the defining element. Atmosphere is.

Neither are "problem-solvers" like the Op or Marlowe the sine qua non of hard-boiled. They're just not fundamentally pessimistic or nihilistic. Problem-solvers might be noir, of they might be hard-boiled, or the might be both, or they might be neither. World-view isn't the defining element.
'Tude is.

JIM DOHERTY

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