In both cases these writers, Hammett & Doyle, indirectly
suggest that the reader fall in love with these characters,
and some of you guys do. It's a writing technique, people. If
you don't love Brigid and sort of want to meet a girl like
that, yourself; if you don't envy Spade his relationship with
her, the end and that wonderful speech, doesn't matter at
all. In fact, Brigid is that rarest of rare birds, the female
serial killer. She killed Thrusby so she won't have to share
the proceeds from the Falcon with him. She kills Miles Archer
for no reason at all that we know. How many others has she
killed throughout the orient? But you want to cut her some
slack as though she was a healthy young cheerleader who's
started smoking pot. Can you say serial murderess?
Adler, too. In the first line of the story Watson tells us
that Irene Adler is the great love of Holmes' life. When
these stories were written, there was much speculation about
the relationship between Holmes & Watson, and also what
sort of woman Holmes would find attractive. The Scandal in
Bohemia answered this latter question and put to some rest
the earlier one: Holmes is hetrosexual! Still, look at this
woman! Why would you admire her? Just because Doyle via
Watson, perhaps the greatest idiot foil in literature, tells
you that Holmes does? The woman is an extrotionist and a
professional criminal who dabbles in espionage. Many of you
wouldn't cut Martha Stewart or Hillary Clinton for her
"Whitewater" escapade, the least slack, but this female
predator whom Doyle has instructed that we worship from afar,
you want to say she's all right? Check out the big picture
here, folks!
Patrick King
--- jacquesdebierue <
jacquesdebierue@yahoo.com> wrote:
> --- In
rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com,
> <funkmasterj@...> wrote:
> >
> > ----- Start Original Message -----
> > Sent: Fri, 12 Oct 2007 09:54:20 -0700
(PDT)
> > From: JIM DOHERTY
<jimdohertyjr@...>
> > To:
rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com
> > Subject: RARA-AVIS: Re: Spade falling in
love
> >
> > > Patrick,
> > >
> > > Re your comment below:
> > >
> > > "Both O'Shaunnasy & Adler are
sociopaths,
> > > speculatively both were probably abused
in
> childhood."
> > >
> > Speculation like that makes me hope you're not
a
> psychologist.
>
> I think Brigid is just a rotten type with
> attractions. Plenty of them
> around. About Adler, I have to agree with Jim:
very
> different
> character. Also, she's not presented as fully
as
> Brigid is by Hammett
> (she's a pivotal character).
>
>
> Best,
>
> mrt
>
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________________
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