Bill wrote:
> : Brian hit it right on the head with the comment
about Pelecanos'
> : characters: "the 'acting tough' as opposed to
'being tough' part."
>
> That's there because he's doing it intentionally.
Terry Quinn, in those
> three books with Derek Strange, is acting tough.
Strange *is* tough. I
> forgot the line exactly, but there's one bit where
Strange sees someone
> across the street, takes his measure, and knows he
can kick the guy's ass.
> He says something about how it feels good to know
you can kick a man's
> ass. Quinn's unsure about that kind of thing, feels
the need to act tough
> so he can prove it, and he pays for it.
>
> Of course, you might think the people who are
supposed to be tough are
> just acting tough, in which case I can see why
Pelecanos would let you
> down. But I don't read them that way. There's also
the matter of wisdom:
> the tough ones are wise, and the ones putting on a
show haven't gained the
> wisdom yet.
Actually, I was talking about all of Pelecanos' characters:
the reneck drug mules, the gangstas, Strange, Quinn. The only
ones who don't "act" tough are the women (any of them) with
the possible exception of Strange's secretary and Quinn's
ex-partner. To me, that part about Strange feeling good that
he could kick that guy's ass rang hollow. And I don't just
think that people who are supposed to be tough are just
acting tough. I think people who are supposed to be tough
just *are* tough. For me, it's like the difference between
Hemingway's portrayal of "tough" and Spillane's portrayal of
"tough."
Sometimes it's as simple as that.
All the Best-
Brian Thornton
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