The Big Sleep Heroism

The Production Code attempted to censor sex and violence in film of the 1930's and 40's. Instead of impairing, it encouraged directors to use artistic ideas and integrity to surpass the viewers' expectations -- actively involving them in the film despite Hollywood's censorship. Howard Hawks is one such director who used the restrictions of the Production Code to his advantage. His screen adaptation of the Raymond Chandler novel The Big Sleep portrays the same amount of sexuality and violence apparent in the written word, using a distinctly subtle style, which develops broader themes. Comparisons with the extremely dull 70's remake by Michael Winner further suggest the superiority

Elements of the medieval romance are evident in the movie First Knight. As such Chivalry is clearly evident through the action of Lancelot in the First Knight. This is shown when he goes out to rescue Lady Guinevere from the ambush in the forest and from Malagant castle where she is being held captive after being kidnaped in Camelot, Therefore, this is a clear depiction of chivalry in where the knight goes out to save the damsel in distress from danger. Another act of chivalry is when Lancelot embarks into the gauntlet which is a contraption that test one’s courage, bravery, and skill to be able to pass. Therefore, Lancelot goes through the gauntlet without any protection to display his skill and bravery to impress Guinevere. Consequently,

Marlowe's fear of the women lies in the fact that they have control of the situation. For the majority of the novel, the women manipulate his actions. Chandler not only thinks that women are bad, he thinks that they should be feared because they are very good at manipulating situations. Carmen manipulated him by acting like

The Big Sleep is taken place in Los Angeles during the Great Depression, which was a time of corruption and economic turmoil. The novel’s themes are primarily the desperation during the Great Depression and the corruption of American Society. A majority of the characters in the book are criminals of some sort, committing crimes for money. Raymond Chandler, the novel’s author, uses allusions, comparisons, and symbolism to help understand the themes of society. Chandler is able to emphasize the corruption of society and the evils within it using motifs, symbols and figurative language.

During the dawn of the Second World War, a new era began for women across America. As men departed to fight the war, women were left to fill their void in the workplace. Familiar role models such as “Rosie the Riveter” radiated strength and know-how traits historically emphasized only in men. As woman’s role in society broadened, new visions of attractiveness developed to accommodate this unprecedented aspect of femininity. Raymond Chandler’s portrayal of women in The Big Sleep (1939) highlights these changes in social construction of female sexuality and appeal in the setting of a male dominated society.

The last knightly characteristic that we will cover in this essay is courage. Both protagonists, Phillip Marlowe and Sir Gawain demonstrate a lot of courage throughout each book. Phillip Marlowe displays this trait in The Big Sleep on page 33 when he says

The view presented in this essay is one that is also held by Mary Anne Ferguson in ”The Dominating Wife: The Bitch”. In it she argues that: “Bitches are not born: they are at least partly made by their environment, including the men in their relationships. Margaret Macomber’s open contempt for her husband may have been a result of the cowardice he exhibited except for a few moments in his short life”. But she misses the fact that even when he does show courage Margot does not seem happy at all. And it is also after his courage that he is shot by Margot, not when he is a

The detective genre is recognizable by the mystery that it represents or establishes. Every word of a fiction novel is chosen with a purpose, and that purpose on a detective novel is to create suspense. The excerpts from The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler, Murder Is My Business by Lynette Prucha, and Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley, create an atmosphere of suspense and mystery. Even though they all fit into this category, there are some differences that make each novel unique. The imagery that the authors offer in the excerpts helps the reader to distinguish the similarities and the differences.

However, on the very next page of the novel, our view of Marlowe is undermined. As the

Through viewing scenes where Marlowe is beaten up and tied up by Mars' men, we come to realize the strength of Marlowe's integrity and will. Although he is put through much physical pain as well as the mental pain of witnessing horrific acts, he bites the bullet and commits himself completely to the tasks placed before him. Once again, he does not do his task for the small amounts of money, but he does it because he feels it is what he must do.

Marlowe meets Mrs. Regan and immediately notices her legs which he believes she intentionally positioned for him to stare at. He goes into great detail saying, "The knees were dimpled, not bony and sharp. The calves were beautiful, the ankles long and slim and with enough melodic line for a tone poem" (17). Chandler allows Marlowe to quickly notice such things and as a result, the reader feels that the description given is accurate as well as engaging. Upon completion of his conversation with Mrs. Regan, Marlowe leaves the house still thinking, "She had lovely legs. I would say that for her" (21). Although describing her legs does not seem like an incredibly important part of the plot, it shows how manipulative Mrs. Regan really is. Marlowe knew from when he first saw Mrs. Regan she was trouble and it is obvious he was right since he left the house distracted by her and still thinking about her legs. By describing Mrs. Regan in this way, Chandler successfully contrasts Mrs. Regan and Carmen. The aspects which Marlowe focuses on allow the reader to note Marlowe's impressions

During the dawn of the Second World War, a new era began for women across America. As men departed to fight the war, women were left to fill their void in the workplace. Familiar role models such as “Rosie the Riveter” radiated strength and know-how traits historically emphasized only in men. As woman’s role in society broadened, new visions of attractiveness developed to accommodate this unprecedented aspect of femininity. Raymond Chandler’s portrayal of women in The Big Sleep (1939) highlights these changes in social construction of female sexuality and appeal in the setting of a male dominated society.

In The Big Sleep, Chandler portrays Marlowe as the knight in shining armor. This establishes a motif of the stained glass window in General Stern wood’s home in the first chapter of the novel and is an appropriate motif in dictating Marlowe’s knightly role in the novel. The stained glass that is reflected in the novel places Marlowe in the position of the knight as it shows a knight who strives to reach a woman to set her free. The fact that he stares at the glass makes him develop the need to offer assistance. This motif is suitable because it sets the stage for what is to take place in the aftermath when Marlowe rescues Carmen. Secondly, Chandler tries to connect Marlowe with the knightly personality from the beginning of the novel that he intended to name his detective the modern knight and a brave man fighting for General Sternwood. He takes the role of the servant to Sternwood’s lord and therefore, in the knightly terms, it is sufficient to say that Marlowe is striving to find justice. Moreover, he is dedicated to rendering his services in the line of duty with much loyalty and honor despite the sexual and financial temptations that come his way. Like the ancient knights, Marlowe has deeply invested in his personal code of chivalry that contain among others, the need to overcome the sexual temptation of whatever magnitude that comes his way. Lastly, as a representation of the modern-day knight, Marlowe comes out in the novel as a tough detective and a brave individual

The novel “The Big Sleep” by Raymond Chandler was published in 1939 during the heart of the Great Depression. The novel is written in a very sinister, dark and kind of a gangster tone and carries much of the cynicism of 1930s America. The Big Sleep is a story of intrigue, corruption, delinquency and obliquity with a rather complex plot which can be very confusing. The main character in “the Big Sleep” is the private detective Philip Marlow who is very masculine man with values and a good moral. His strong moral is often evidenced throughout the novel. Marlowe is the only one in this complex world who cannot be corrupted because the other characters are all described as sleazy,

It is mandatory to examine the hero and essence of masculinity, which is portrayed by Phillip Marlowe in both the novel and film versions of The Big Sleep in order to analyze changes in the perception of female femininity. Throughout Henry Hawk’s 1946 film version of The Big Sleep, Marlowe’s characterization as the hero of the film demonstrates standard masculine qualities of a man: