The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler - Essay Example

The Big Sleep In the Big Sleep, Chandler depicted in Marlowe some knight errant who managed to maintain his of honor despite of the corruption and deceit of the world the surround him. One first sees Marlowe in this context in the very first page of the book where he was observing a knight over the stained glass panel rescuing a lady. Noting that the knight seemed to be not really trying his best to rescue the lady, he thought: “If I lived in the house, I would sooner or later have to climb up there and help him.” (p. 3) Using Marlowe to describe himself is one of several strategies that Chandler employed to build up his character. This theme is carried on further by locations tied to Marlowe. From his eyes, we are offered a glimpse of his old office building with its iron work and wood interiors. Here, there was demonstration of glamour or a spark of life that struggled to exist in the face of an obviously dying city. Then, there were also the observations from other characters, confirmed by Marlowe’s assent and body language. In his interview with the general, for example, the latter’s first impression of Marlowe was that of “a man with blood on his veins.” (p. 7) A little while later, Mrs. Regan would say to Marlowe’s face that he is a handsome man and Marlowe acknowledged it with a grunt. Chandler effectively built his protagonist’s character very early in the story. Marlowe and the Simple Narrative The protagonist’s background – an underpaid drudge – made a lot of sense why the style of the narrative was what it was, simple, straightforward but vivid in describing the richness, luxury and corruption of the period. After, all, it was from Marlowe’s eyes that the reader learn of the tale. There are numerous points wherein the narration resembled crisp, staccato rhythms demonstrating Marlowe’s personality. This was pretty surprising, however, especially when one takes into account that Chandler is British and the narratives that immediately preceded his work where firmly in the tradition of elaborate and almost floral prose. In a scene from the book, there was an instance when Harry Jones was recounting a narrative testimony about Mr. Canino, Eddie Mars and the mysterious Mona Mars. Afterwards, when he was alone in his office, Marlowe was quoted as saying: I went upstairs again and sat in my chair thinking about Harry Jones and his story. It seemed a little too pat. It had the austere simplicity of fiction rather than the tangled woof of fact.” (p. 115) Here, Chandler clearly expressed his view of fiction or at least its ideal form. As he cited factual narratives as the opposite of fictional narrative – inadequate, radically unfinished, and, hence, complex and tangled - one additionally learns that fictional narrative for Chandler are finished stories. By contrasting fiction from fact, it is being relayed how stories are constructed and are products of intention as opposed to the factual, which are given, not made, and cold have the potential to be unruly. Marlowe’s Complexities Marlowe, however, was more than the usual thug because he Chandler envisioned him to be a socio-critical for justice. With such realisms etched, with all the chinks on the knight’s armor, Chandler was able to create a character that departed from the almost superhuman heroes of British crime fiction. Bits and pieces of Marlowe’s character could be found in this first installment and would eventually lead six other narratives later on. In The Big Sleep, Marlowe was 33, unmarried and lives in an apartment at Hobart Arms. He was college educated and an honorary deputy. Although, Marlowe was no Sherlock Holmes, including the sleuth’s genius, he has strongly developed sense of morality and humor, enhanced by his deep loyalty and penchant to make other people’s problems his own. One can never deny the authenticity of the character as Chandler drop enough hints to show Marlowe’s humanity – his soft side and vulnerability - beneath the tough exterior. From the name itself, Philip Marlowe, Chandler had already given one of the most important clues as to how he wanted his main character to be, one that he is very familiar with: very much English and a connotation of elegance. In the story, furthermore, there was a lingering obsession on clothing and interiors, a trivial matter matter that is to be found in the English class hierarchies. At one point, Marlowe itemizes his wardrobe: “I was wearing my powder-blue suit, with dark blue shirt, tie and display handkerchief, black brogues, black wool socks with dark blue clocks on them. I was neat, clean, shaved and sober, and I didn’t care who knew it. I was everything the well-dressed private detective ought to be.” (p. 3) This “Englishness”, along with the toughness of the Marlowe’s character, reflects Chandler’s background and his idea of the pulp hero. With Marlowe, he has created somebody that reflects himself and he had, perhaps subconsciously, wanted to become. So the character is wittingly or unwittingly made into a complex one with a heightened sense of contradictions and duality. An excellent example wherein Chandler demonstrated the duality of Marlowe’s character, he wrote of how Marlow described Carol Lundgren: Moist dark eyes shaped like almonds, and a pallid handsome face with wavy black hair growing low on the forehead in two points. A very handsome boy indeed, the boy from Geiger’s store. (p. 67) With this description, there is a clear attraction that displays a homoerotic tone. There is no question that Marlowe is heterosexual, but that his sexuality also displays a certain duality that was reinforced by the only topic that listed his likes and dislikes, which is sex. Nonetheless, throughout the whole escapade, Marlowe retained his independence that is represented best by his obstinacy in upholding his client’s interests in the face of threats, bribes and sexual temptation. Out of all the points raised by this paper, the realism that Chandler wanted to depict through his characterization of his protagonist is only partially valid. There are still traces of stylized, ordered and detached situations. Foremost of this is the heroic fantasy that despite Marlowe’s toughness, compassion, loyalty and unwavering integrity, he was able to move around with ease in any class of the corrupted society he was in. Reference Chandler, Raymond. The Big Sleep. New York: Random House, 1988. Read More