--- In rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com, Jack Bludis <buildsnburns@...> wrote:
>
> In noir fiction, the protag is screwed from the first decision, and things never get better although there are little twinkles of hope here and there, but in the end, he or she is screwed.
>
> If there is a happy ending, it's not noir.
>
> I've always believed that and now Otto Penzler said it. Maybe that doesn't satisfy everyone, but it satisfies me.
>
> Others may be satisfied with other opinions.
>
I think your definition is basically accurate if one wants to keep it short. Just the other day I reread a great noir novel that I had forgotten even existed, Donald Westlake's _Sacred Monster_. Screwed, definitely!
Best,
mrt
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : 11 Aug 2010 EDT