Sam Spade and Brigid O’shaughnessy Essay Example

its movie adaptation.

Brief Overview of “The Maltese Falcon” In the entire span of Hammett's career as an author and a passionate writer, his novel entitled “The Maltese Falcon” is said to be one of the most significant works that showcases his excellence in the category of thematic hard-boiled crime stories, as this novels continues to assert its significance. This novel defines the real meaning of the American private eye in situations of crime-investigation through the representation of the character of Sam Spade in the novel.

More so, this same novel also draws the essential stance of “femme fatale” through the role of Brigid O'Shaughnessy. This novel mainly tells about the story of two different characters whose motivation and intent in life is directly derived from their own personal goals and desire in portraying their distinct purpose as individuals. Thus, Sam Spade and Brigid O'Shaughnessy are presented in the novel as two characters that came from different sides and orientations whose primary functions and roles in the story are set to build the conflict and twist that would directly influence the climax of the novel.

Sam Spade, as one of the primary characters in the novel, portrays the side of the authority whose main purpose is to ensure that the perpetrators of crime would be prosecuted and would be held accountable to face their consequences under the law, as a result of the crime or fellony that they have committed. Brigid O'shaughnessy, on the other hand, is depicted as the counter part of the character of Sam Spade.

Her primary goal is to trick the main functions of justice by means of eluding her consequences and punishments under the

law, as she tries to make a roadshow on her own, involving the services of Sam Spade, in making her great escape in all of the criminal offenses that she has done and perpetrated in her desire to keep the precious figurine of “The Maltese Falcon” for her own. Sam Spade and Brigid O'Shaughnessy in the Novel In the novel, Sam Spade's is the hero of the story.

He portrays the function and role of a veteran American detective whose excellence and fine record in the said industry is shaped and strengthened by his outstanding performance in the past, back in the days when he used to work in a huge investigation agency in Seattle. As a detective, Spade is considered to be defiant of the law, but in such a way that he is certain to adhere before the limits and boundaries of his stance in opposing the law to be able to protect himself against any other legal jeopardy.

Throughout the span of his career, Spade has built the image of a loyal and resillient agent that is willing to break the premises of the law just to ensure the quality of the service and achieve the preferred results of his clients. With this notion, it is evident that Spade has used this unique impression of a corruptive detective to his advantage to bring the criminal offenders to prosecution and resolve crimes accordingly.

Indeed, the behavior of Spade can be thought of to be those which belong to an ideal detective and is not an original character that can be found distinctively in “The Maltese Falcon” (Hammett). More so, in the narrative of the novel, Sam

Spade is partly characterized as immoral and a cynical himself, more especially when it comes to love and relationships with women. As seen in the earlier part of the novel, Spade is having an affair with Iva Archer, the beloved wife of Miles Archer, who happened to be his partner in solving crimes as detectives.

Behind the back and awareness of his partner, Spade has abused the trust of Miles Archer, as he conciusly violated the boundaries of his relationship with Iva Archer and has not given Miles the chance to know this immorality until his death. More so, Spade's character is also depicted in the novel as an individual that is cynical or pessimist when it comes to trusting and loving women.

As a person, Spade is characterized as an individual whose trust and belief towards other people is not easily given as this side of his life is highly motivated by his experiences as a detective, wherein he has witnessed the awful implication of betrayal and neglect of someone's trust. Going back to his affair with Iva, Spade is the type of character in the novel whose love and affection are not the sole apects that directly influence his perception in making his decission and actions, as an inidividual and as a detective.

Thus, the main force that drives and motivates Spade is a moral code, which is more significant and greater than any materialistic desire, love and power. As a detective and well-dedicated professonal, Spade has that great sense of morality to do what is right all the time, regardless of his personal feelings and own inclination in doing actions and making decissions in his

career, as detective. He has that definite stance in measuring and defining the thin line that separates the right and the wrong.

Though most of the time, he would act as an immoral and corruptive detective that he is, on the latter part Spade justifies his wrongdoings with a positive result, which is that of capturing the criminals by means of playing tricks over these people, as he tries to act and leave a lasting impression that he is nothing but a corruptive detective to gain advantage and penetrate the circle of these law offenders. Brigid O'shaughnesy, on the other hand, is depicted in the novel as a woman who abuses and takes adavantage of her undeniable quality and beauty as a lady for personal gain and in pursuing her self-centered goal.

From the definition “femme fatale,” Brigid O'shaughnessy's character differs from that of Sam Spade’s in such a way that she tends to use her seductive and irresistable qualities as a woman to be able to achieve her own personal desires and motives. As opposed to Sam Spade's rational approach in achieving his goals as a detective, O'shaughnessy's character is presented in the novel as a woman who tries to achieve her hidden purpose by means of using feminine tricks such as charm, allure and beauty.

In the novel's main narrative, O'shaugnessy's primary role is depicted as a client who neeeded the profesional and loyal service of Sam Spade. Originally, she avails the services of Spade and Archer to handle the phony case that she told the two, which involves the search for a man who has sinned against her younger sister when her desire is to

let these two detectives look for Floyd Thrusby, the guy who happens to be her accomplice in stealing the valuable figurine of falcon. Unlike Spade, O'shaughnessy's character is set to portray a personality in the novel whose life is filled with lies and selfish desires.

Thus, her motivation in making her decissions and actions are solely based on her inclination towards getting the figurine of falcon that is filled with expensive diamonds in its body. More so, as compared to the character of Sam Spade, O'shaughnessy is weak and considered as a user, wherein she can not make a stand on her own in pursuing her goal of regaining possession of the falcon figurine, as she contiues to manipulate and posion the perception of Spade to gain advantage and for her own personal protection.

Thus, she even tried to fool Spade by making him believe that she really needs him when, in fact, all that she ever wanted is to retain the services of Spade until she has that opportunity to regain possesion of the falcon and run away on her own. In this regard, Sam Spade and Brigid O'Shaughnessy are presented in the novel as characters that are exteremely different in pursuing their purposes in life and in making a stand between the right and wrong.

Sam Spade and Brigid O'Shaughnessy in the Movie In the movie adaptation of the novel “The Maltese Falcon,” it can be said that the character of Sam Spade is depicted in a relatively ambiguous way. For instance, Spade is presented in the movie as a detective that is partly driven by the aspect of money and/or financial gain, as the scenes

where Spade is negotiating with the crew of Gutman and Miss Wonderly that involves money are seen to have been very well highlighted in the big screen (Dirks).

This particular scene left a corruptive image of Spade as a detective. However, it can also be said that the movie adaptation of the Novel “The Maltese Falcon” has also prsented an identical character of Sam Spade that is similar to the actual depiction of the novel. In here, Spade is presented as a deteremined and dedicated detective who is willing to do everything and anything for the betterment of his job as a detective and a veteran in the said industry.

More so, Spade, in the movie, is depicted as an individual who is dominantly influenced by his love and passion for his profession in terms of making decissions and actions that have direct connections between his personal life and responsibility as a detective. Thus, towards the end of the story, Spade's character differs with that of O'shaughnessy in such a way that he remains truthful and loyal to the profession that he trully loves.

He had the courage to make the decision of turning over O'shaughnessy to the police officers and let her face the legal consequences of murdering Miles Archer, despite of the love and affection that he has for Brigid O'shaughnessy (Ebert). Brigid O'shaughnessy, on the other hand, is depicted in the movie with minimal differences from the way her character is presented in the book.

First known to be Miss Ruth Wonderly in the movie, O'shaughnessy's depiction in the film is identically presented as the typical femme fatale that is manipulative and influential and also uses

the services of Spade to make her way in escaping the crimes that she has involved in. The end goals and the means that have been used by this character differ from the intentions and the purpose of Spade. For O’shaughnessy, both the end goals and the means used are deceitful and are against a particular set of morals. Both the purpose and the goals are geared towards doing ill.

The use of the femininity of the character, indeed, has been highlighted such that without it, a large portion of the main reason as to why the character exists would be gone. Conclusion The two characters evaluated in the movie and the novel have their respective differences and similarities. First, both the characters used certain strategies that also served as their trademarks in achieving what they wanted and expected to have in life. The strategies they have are those which are inherent to them and are in line with their skills, knowledge, and abilities.

These are the things they presently have which they see have an impact on the people whom they wanted to ask some favor or require something in pursuit of their goals. Second, the characters have a great desire for something. The characters are driven by something deep inside them that lead them to do what it takes in order to finish what they intend to do. More so, these needs that they have are the very reasons of their continuous and incessant use of the strategies mentioned before.

Third, the characters’ success in terms of achieving the things that they need differ in such a way that Spade is able to accomplish the things

that he wants where O’shaughnessy faced the consequences of her mishchievous actions. Spade has fulfilled his role as a detective despite all odds and temptations encountered. In the end, he is still able to show that he did what is expected of him and turning O’shaughnessy over to the police is an instrument to this. On the other hand, O’shaughnessy is served what is due of her.

Works Cited

http://www.filmsite.org/malt.html

http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20010513/REVIEWS08/105130301/1023

http://www.thrillingdetective.com/trivia/triv244.html