Detective Fiction
Agathas detective Hercule Poirots is an allegory of detection and all his surrounding working environment is full of signs pointing to his favorable experience of hunting for the gravest murder cases. In Hercule Poirots Christmas, Hercule Poirot is called upon by Superintendent Sugden to investigate on the death of a British-millionaire Simeon Lee whose throat is slit open by an unknown murderer. Simeon Lee, a widower had invited family guests and friends into his house for a Christmas festive. Seemingly Simeon Lee had invited nondescript family members and illegitimate persons who could potential hurt him the logical reason why Superintendent Sugden is present during the party though he claims to be present to cover on a case on stolen diamonds. Superintendent Sugdens first collection of empirical evidence is futile when trying to implicate Pilar Estravados, whom he noticed to pick up a small object at the death scene.
There is an observable interesting conflict between evil and good in the story, which present a thrilling ethical and eristic conflict between evil and good. Thus according to Auden, there exists a peaceful festive atmosphere before murder is committed on the Christmas Eve. After the murder, there is general false innocence and false location of the guilty that in this particular moment is Pilar (Auden 1). The present murder case present a role of a detective as the most trusted and sought after person to reveal the truth and shed light into the unknown labyrinths of clues used to form evidence. Accordingly, Hercule Poirot identifies the same groupings of suspects in the investigations into the murder of Lee. According to Raymond Chandler there is a special grouping of suspects according to the frustrations they present during the cross examination process. Appropriately Chandler identifies that hoaxing and impersonation is a top notch key that detectives have to be aware of during their endeavor to solve murder cases. While Pilar is treated as an impersonator in Hercule Poirot Christmas, Mark Ablett is also an impersonator of his brother Robert (Chandler 1). Marks secretary is urging him on in order to execute the plan in order to kill him later. Later the brother Robert arrives, which is contrary to the impersonation plan and therefore he is killed by either Mark or the secretary. Therefore detective weaknesses are presented in the stories concerning a failed collection of ideas especially in the Milna light story about the impersonation of Robert. The detective in the story Antony Gillingham is described as, a nice lad with a cheery eye, a cozy little flat in London, and that airy manner (Chandler 1) just like Hercule Poirot he is not making any money as such but hangs on the assignment to make ends meet. Therefore detectives seem to function without much pay but mysteriously hold on to the investigative plan with a zealous seal.
Authority is a fundamental role that all detectives deploy while in the field and even in their private work. Poirot said, with a sudden ring of authority in his voice I have had to show you the possibilities These are the things that might have happened Which of them actually did happen we can only tell by passing from the outside appearance to the inside reality....(Christies 250). This is in reference to Simeon Lees tyrannical behavior that might have brought about his death. He paused and then said slowly We must come back, as I said before, to the character of Simeon Lee himself.... (Christies 250). Simeon Lee is presented in the story as a wealthy tyrannical patriarch father who torments his supposed children whom he dismisses as weakling and promises to change the will. This presents us with an option that detectives have to adopt in order to get to the most suited answer to the realization of the real truth from false clues that are dangled by the murders preparation. Consequently the role of a detective in a psychological setting is proved to be quite analytical in nature. Hercule Poirot has to dig deep into the family member who seem to cover up for each other and eventually he solves the case when he visit a local store. The police force is shocked at the revelation of the true murderer.
There are some traits in life that are presented in the personality of Hercule Poirot that also points out to the character of many detectives. His excellent systematic symmetrical care of his surrounding environment presents a psychological disorder as well as the questionable relationship with Colonel Hastings Things had never been the same since the day he had bid adieu to his old friend - Colonel Hastings.(Christies 2) outwardly most detectives lead bachelor lives with some men aside to facilitate their homosexual activities. Though he comes out as an asexual person, his love for Colonel Hastings is erotically envisioned in his dream, If only he were still alive - then he, Hercule Poirot, would not be left without a companion on this night before the day of all days. The emotional detective is a stereotype of the roles and functions that go with detective work. Also in the same category is Sherlock Holmes is presented by Auden as a melancholic individual whenever unoccupied and detached form a case investigation, just like Poirot. Unlike the tidy stricken Poirot, Sherlock Holmes is untidy and also practicing homosexual individual (Auden 1). Role of the inspectors and detectives in the line of duty seems to be self-driven in order to solve the mucky social crimes.
The Maltese Falcon, by Dashiell Hammett is a professional detective story that elucidates the roles and functions of detective Sam Spade in his American niche. Spade and his associate Miles Archer are hired by Brigid OShaughnessy to protect her from Thursby-a former partner. It turns out that Thursby and Miles Archer are murdered while Spade is having an affair with Archers wife (Hammett 1). Spade finds himself held at gunpoint by two homosexuals and a sadist Joel Cairo, Wilmer, and Casper Gutman respectively when manipulated by Brigid to sell a jewel-encrusted statue of a falcon to these individuals.
The first five pages of the story describe the dangers that a detective is exposed to during his line of duty. The process of handling a fake falcon instead of the original one puts Spade in a compromising position. He had to sleep with various women in the quest to secure evidence fix out the murder case. He sleeps with Brigid in order to search her apartment while she is asleep. Objectively, Spade knows that Bridgid is responsible for the death of Archer yet he lack the evidence to prosecute the lady. A detectives role is defined by the society as the necessity to find credible information to prosecute the murder, no matter the pain and suffering one might undergo to eventually uncover the truth. Chandlers description best fits Spade as the man with the quality of redemption But down these mean streets a man must go who is not himself mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid(Chandler 1). That is the reason why Spade tales the pain to follow Brigid to a private hotel in chapter three where she registered under a different name, Leblanc.(Hammett). In chapter four, the victims who is the culprit, Brigid claims that there are some criminals, (her associates) following her and this leads to other characters like Joel Cairo whom Spade finds in his office with a five thousand dollars offer promise if Spade found the falcon statue. In the office, Spade displays his defensive skills when he knocks Cairo unconscious and searches his pockets. Consequently he is lured by the money into discovering more about the Falcon statue that lead his to a journey that with the La Paloma in which the detective is tricked once more with a fake statue coupled up with lies of the girl who drives him into a war with the crooks after the falcon. The function of a detective comes out clearly as an individual who has to have superior protection tactics in case of encounter with armed gangs. This is in contrary to Hercule Poirots situation that demanded use of inference, observation and logic to facilitate his murder investigation techniques.
Presumably, deductive Spade comes out as incorrupt though his associates who are in the police department doubt him when they find him in the house with a Cairo and Brigid, the victims connected with the murder of Archer. There work generally entails that one should be conversant with the laws regarding answering of question regarding evidence. In chapter eight, the story is complicated by the presence of the fighting two foreigners in the house of Spade when two detectives come knocking on the door and discover blood on the head of Cairo. Therefore Dundy and Polhaus as detectives seem to be underdogs to Spades intervening power since the two detectives effort to arrest everyone including Spade are thwarted on when Spade generalizes the whole episode as a mere joke. As a matter of urgency requiring no jokes, detective Dundy slaps Spade on the jaw. Opportunistic behavior is displayed in the action of Spade refusing to answer the detectives questions about the murder of Archer.
Detective Spades individual drive to work around homosexual world is also equally displayed in the people he interacts with, he is immoral while sleeping with the close associates wife. Therefore the society of the detective world is a semi-liberal form of socio-psychological setting that allows free interaction of detectives and the gangs that are sometimes miles ahead of the detectives mind. The detective stories seem to approve homosexuality and deviant sexual behaviors as a major form of challenge to their.
Spade presents a case of underground cartels that are part and parcel murder schemes that operate in various societies. Spade is introduced to Gutman who offers him 25, 000 if he could steal Maltese Falcon form a Russian in Istanbul. In the process Spade is drugged and hijacked into La Paloma freighter before reviving to realize that they are in danger of fire.
Investigators and detective lead lives that appear to be aptly disrupted by their self-delving work that robs them of social cognitive friendly inhibitors like humbleness and gentleness. Sam Spade is seen to use authoritative language without any sense of humor therefore successful detectives have to accomplish the linguistic role of mastering the use of irony, professional coercion and intimidation, bitterness and melancholy in order to achieve their aspirations in solving of cumbersome murder cases. Gun fighting tactics are a necessity in the case of Spade unlike Mr. Hercule Poirot who leads a quiet life in his countryside residence claiming he is on holiday. Spade comes out as a bitter, mocking person who is able to assume a criminal orientation and personality while gaining the trust of the criminal in order to expose the real murder to the police. This is evident when he negotiates with Gutman to offer Wilmer as ransom for he was involved the present murder case of Jacobi and Archer. In the same light after being offered 10,000 for delivering the Falcon that turned out to be fake, and when Gutman requests for a refund at gunpoint the authoritative Spade keeps 1000 for his time and expenses. Spade displays a professional detective work ethics and attitude while solving the present murder crimes even though he was having an affair with Archers wife who even asked him if he, Spade had pulled off the trigger in order to have Iva all for himself to which Spade vehemently dismisses. In his own word he puts it clear that, When a mans partner is killed hes supposed to do something about it. It doesnt make any difference what you thought of him. He was your partner and youre supposed to do something about it.( Hammett). Therefore though he may look opportunistic in regard to his dealings with the criminals, it is possible to assume that he had to do that in order to solve the two murder cases. Consequently, to believe his action and justify them appropriately to be in line with his duty though police detectives could dispute Spade personalized the murder case that, When one of your organization gets killed its bad business to let the killer get away with it. Its bad all around - bad for that one organization, bad for every detective everywhere. This is a gusto believe that exist in the detective world that functions are to be taken seriously if the detective profession is to be noticed as worth the support either emotional or financial.
Allegory has been extensively employed in the discussion of all the stories. In The Maltese Falcon A telephone bell rang in darkness. When it had rung three times bedsprings creaked, fingers fumbled on wood, something small and hard thudded on a carpeted floor, the springs creaked again, and a mans voice said Hello. Yes, speaking. Dead (Hammetts 8). While receiving this call, these symbols are signs of the bad news concerning the dead of Archer. The same can be attributed to Detective Hercule Poirots dream that led to the phone call requesting him to attend to a murder case Yet something did not feel quite right. He looked around the room again and this time his gaze stopped at the beautiful Christmas tree. The lights were working perfectly. The combination of colors was lovely the blinking of the little dots of color was synchronized to microsecondsBut there was something wrong (Christies 1) These extracts also convey the difference in organization of two famous detectives.
Conclusively, the false innocence according to Auden is revealed in Brigids greed of killing her accomplished Thursby in order to benefit from the falcon all by herself thus she hired Archer to protect her. Thus Gutman come down on Archer through Gutmans kickback. Therefore revelation lead to false location of guilty and eventually true innocence is found restoring peace.
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