The character Philip Marlowe from the novel, The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler, is without a doubt the popular representation of the 1930s private investigator/detective. This character delivers his inner cynical monologue describing to the audience what he is doing and feeling throughout the novel. Marlowe’s inner mood creates a portrait of an outcast protagonist who wishes only to deliver results to the clients who hired him. While it is obvious that Philip Marlowe is portrayed as an outsider within his field and community, his relationships and actions would prove otherwise. Marlowe is a private investigator in 1930s Los Angeles, who is hired for a job by a retired millionaire, General Sternwood. As the story begins here, it is eluded to, or rather outright answered as to how …show more content…
Instead of asking for help from the proper authorities, he finesses the situation to his advantage, and instead extracts what he needs. For instance, in chapter 20, when Marlowe visits Captain Gregory of the Missing Persons Bureau, it is to pry for information only. He performs the exact same task afterwards in the following chapter when he decides to speak with the racketeer, Eddie Mars about Geiger and the possible connections to the Sternwoods. However, each of these instances make the point that Marlowe’s actions and connections suggest that he is not truly an outsider. How is Philip Marlowe not an outsider when the novel provides the appearance and tendency of one? Again, had Marlowe never possessed or created any of these previously described relations with the other characters within the novel, only then would he be an actual outsider. It is implied clearly that he does not perform his duties any differently than the actual law enforcers. There are several implications that lead the reader to believe that the LAPD at this time is
Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown,” and Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” utilize character responsibilities to create a sinister plot. For Hawthorne, protagonist Young Goodman Brown must leave his wife at home while he partakes in a night journey. For Poe, ancillary Fortunato covets a pretentious manner towards his wine tasting skills, and after being ‘challenged’ decides to prove his expertise by sampling Amontillado. Hawthorne and Poe showcase a theme of darkness but differ in their approach to the setting, characters, and fate of entrapment.
Carmen Sternwood is described with profoundness but in a different (less sexual) sense than her sister is. Marlowe encounters her on many occasions and is thorough in describing her--from her first flirtations to her continuous irritations. In t...
“The Tell-Tale Heart is one of Edgar Allan Poe’s greatest fictional short stories. It is known for its repulsive and insane homicide; a very wild and thrilling tale. Likewise, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s well-known novel, The Scarlet Letter, is famous for its directness on sexual conflict. Both writings possess similarities with regards to modified characters, connected symbolism, and significant midpoints. Due to these comparisons, it is quite certain that Hawthorne found inspiration in writing The Scarlet Letter after reading “The Tell Tale-Heart”.
Film and literature are two media forms that are so closely related, that we often forget there is a distinction between them. We often just view the movie as an extension of the book because most movies are based on novels or short stories. Because we are accustomed to this sequence of production, first the novel, then the motion picture, we often find ourselves making value judgments about a movie, based upon our feelings on the novel. It is this overlapping of the creative processes that prevents us from seeing movies as distinct and separate art forms from the novels they are based on.
On first inspection of Raymond Chandler's novel, The Big Sleep, the reader discovers that the story unravels quickly through the narrative voice of Philip Marlowe, the detective hired by the Sternwood family of Los Angeles to solve a mystery for them. The mystery concerns the General Sternwood's young daughter, and a one Mr. A. G. Geiger. Upon digging for the answer to this puzzle placed before Marlowe for a mere fee of $25 dollars a day plus expenses, Marlowe soon finds layers upon layers of mystifying events tangled in the already mysterious web of lies and deception concerning the Sternwood family, especially the two young daughters.
In this excerpt, Dr. Watson marvels over Holmes’ discovery of Stapleton’s disguised face in a Baskerville portrait. He was truly a Baskerville, which explained his motivation for everything that he did. Stapleton had lied about his ancestry, to turn questioning eyes away from him and unto other… more vulnerable… suspects such as Selden the convict. A few manuscripted or vocalized words and BAM! Someone can deceive a whole population, just as Stapleton did. Doyle also explores this concept when he writes “‘...in the character of his sister’” (225). Holmes talks in retrospection once more, this time about how Stapleton forced his wife to acquire the title of his sister, so that he could perhaps use her (just as he did) to gain trust with Sir Henry. Moreover, he once again lied and successfully deceived a population about (in this instance) his marital
For Sherlock Holmes, his partner in crime is Dr. John H. Watson. Not only is he a trusted friend, but also he is Holmes’ associate and the first person narrator of the Sherlock tales. The stories of Sherlock Holmes are a collection of short stories and fictional novels created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. These stories are based on a famous and most notorious detective all throughout London, Sherlock Holmes. Along his side, Dr. Watson narrates his and Holmes’ detective cases and reveals Sherlock’s abilities and knowledge of solving cases and fighting deadly crimes. For the duration of the stories, Watson and Holmes share a particular relationship where Holmes verbally dominates Watson, “You see, but you do not observe. The distinction is very clear” (Doyle 241). When he isn’t insulting Dr. Watson he talks about how much he relies on his partner, “I am lost without my Boswell” (Doyle 243).
Sherlock Holmes, one of the most famous fictional characters in literary history is a detective capable of solving the most complex mysteries. The author behind the character, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is a very successful British writer. The majority of his literary success is due to his crime-fiction tales such as the Sherlock Holmes series. However, Mr. Doyle and Mr. Holmes himself must not take all the credit because there is another character that plays a major role in the stories success. He goes by the name of Dr. Watson, Holmes’ sidekick. The importance of Dr. Watson is evident in many of Doyle’s stories such as A Scandal in Bohemia and A Study in Scarlett.
Final Paper Assignment Sleep as a Symbol in Dogeaters Within Jessica Hagedorn’s novel Dogeaters, a number of characters are represented or described to be sleeping or dreaming at different points in the novel. Characters sleeping within this novel can be interpreted as having different meanings or symbolizing different things. One of the characters that are “asleep” is Joey Sands. Joey’s sleep represents the state in which the average person in the Philippines is sedated by American culture.
Gilbert Keith Chesterton was one of the greatest English authors ever to live. He wrote many essays and novels. He had much time to do this because he was a large man and could not move around easily. In Gilbert's essay, "In Lying in Bed" his deep understanding of humanity clearly evident. He speaks informally and rambles like the common speaker does. In my analysis I will describe and explain the central themes of Chesterton's essay.
In the novel, Sherlock Holmes The Hound of the Baskervilles, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are given a case that is paranormal. They decide to split up and Dr. Watson is given the task to stay by Sir Henry’s side while looking for clues. They cross paths against and Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson meet to discuss this case as a murder. They find major clues against Mr. Stapleton leading to his death. The novel explores the theme of not being ruled by fear through characters dealing with the apparent supernatural myth coming to life.
“The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes,” states Sherlock Holmes (Doyle, The Hound of the Baskervilles loc 1238). According to TV Tropes, mystery is a genre of fiction where the plot revolves a mysterious happening that acts as the driving question. With any given problem there is a solution; however, and the question is “how does one come about to that solution”? Extremely high intelligence level, keen observation, creative imagination and sensitivity to details are just some of the qualities that Holmes possesses. In the process of solving mysteries, there is always a borderline between mere guessing, a coincidence, and a scientific approach that Holmes calls deductive reasoning. In Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's 1902 novel, The Hound of the Baskervilles, Dr. Mortimer seeks advice from Holmes as he explains the curse that has been plaguing the Baskerville family. With the power of deduction, Holmes realizes that Mr. Stapleton is actually a Baskerville descendant and has been planning to get rid of the other members of the family to claim the family fortune. Conan Doyle tells the reader what their mind is capable of doing by incorporating Holmes through his novels as he uses observation, deduction and knowledge in solving his cases. One important key that makes him different from most people is that he sees everything that people often neglect to pay attention to. A remarkable proof which shows that Holmes holds an extraordinary analytical mind and is uniquely capable of solving a mystery through his great sensitivity to minute details and the ability to draw connections from it was shown as he observes and deduces information from the letter received by Sir Henry Baskerville the moment he arrived...
“Marlowe’s biographers often portray him as a dangerously over–ambitious individual. Explore ways this aspect of Marlowe’s personality is reflected in ‘Dr. Faustus.’ ”
Snow, Edward A. "Marlowe's Doctor Faustus and the Ends of Desire." Two Renaissance Mythmakers: Christopher Marlowe and Ben Jonson. Ed. Alvin Kernan. Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1997. Print.
Marlow starts out as just as everyman, trying to put some bread on the table. His original plans were setting out to make money, but his journey turns into so much more. His expedition turns into a quest to find and save Kurtz, and to understand the people so many were prejudice against.