The importance of both mystery and plot development in creating a successful crime fiction novel are evident. Additionally, the protagonist is a crucial element, especially in hard-boiled fiction where the investigator serves as the reader's access to the unknown world of the novel. Dashiell Hammett skillfully crafted Sam Spade as a distinctive character that adds to the overall composition of the novel rather than solely serving as a tool for conveying clues and information.
The reader can enter into Spade's mind and thoughts, as Hammett cleverly allows Spade to express his beliefs, fears, and emotions to the reader. This allows the reader to connect with and relate to Spade. By bringing the reader closer to the protagonist, Hammett also draws them deeper into the criminal world, including the perpetrators and victims, and ultimately immerses them in the noir univer
...se inhabited by Sam Spade.
Although Sam Spade is a detective protagonist, he is aware that his best efforts will ultimately be inadequate in the face of a corrupt urban environment. Despite his heroic attempts to achieve justice, Spade knows that this environment will always prevail. This sense of Spade's desire to achieve greater justice suggests to readers that he is fundamentally good and impervious to the hostile universe he has dedicated his life to fighting against.
Raymond Chandler deems Hammett's Spade as a misanthropic and tough individual who upholds his code of honor in a world stained with misrepresentation and treachery across all societal levels. The Maltese Falcon portrays Spade as the "blond Satan," revealing his clear intentions and inner goodness to readers, while other characters struggle to see him in his true light, often labeling him as a
wild and unpredictable man.
Hammett's motivations are not very clear, possibly due to his habit of distancing himself from others and avoiding relationships. However, in his relationship with Bridget O'Shannessy, he deviates from traditional genre expectations by hinting at the possibility of a lasting bond between her and Spade. Despite being a flawed hero who defies societal norms and conventions, Spade shares personal feelings with Bridget, saying things like "Don't worry. I'm scared too."
He embodies a resolute and bleak outlook on the cosmos, the very embodiment of what crime fiction in America truly needed. He was one who would tackle the gritty streets of American cities, shrouded in darkness and rain, rather than the polished lawns of English country homes.
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