Masculinity as a Prerequisite of Traditional American Heroism Essay

Masculinity as a Prerequisite of Traditional American Heroism - Essay Example Considering the traditional American view of heroism, as brought forth by the novel ‘The Big Sleep’ by Raymond Chandler and the film ‘The Maltese Falcon’ directed by John Huston, masculinity is a prerequisite. In the early way of thinking, male characters were seen to intervene on the behalf of the feminine ones (Cohen 1). This view has been portrayed in several early documented resources. Looking at Raymond Chandler’s novel, ‘The Big Sleep’, General Sternwood makes an intervention for her two daughters, Carmen and Vivian. Sternwood seeks the help of a private investigator, Philip Marlowe to intervene in an attempted blackmail against Carmen by Arthur Geiger, a bookseller (Chandler 10). He is further tasked with the responsibility of establishing about the whereabouts of Rusty Regan, Vivian’s husband who has since disappeared. The heroic characters in the entire incidence are masculine individuals. The case presents a situation whereby the feminine are not considered heroic. This presents a situation whereby the chances of having an ultimate masculine hero to be too high while their counterparts with very slim chances. The main role in the traditional setting of movies has shown a predictable pattern of masculine heroes. ‘The Maltese Falcon’, is a movie that reve als an iconic private investigator, Sam Spade dealing with three complicated individuals, all these people are working to obtain the Maltese falcon. The man is expressed as witty and capable of finding solutions. Despite losing his co-investigator, Spade gets to the length of conducting his independent investigations. Spade is systematic in his conduct and ends up unearthing several truths about the incidences surrounding the deaths of Arthur and Thursby. He successfully confronts law enforcers. The police question him concerning the murder of Archer and Thursby. These murders occur on the day when Miss Ruth Wonderly was meant to meet Thursby, while Archer had accepted to follow her in an effort to get her sister who had gone missing. The Falcon is a highly coveted treasure and attracts interests from different persons. Spade finds himself at the centre stage of all this despite the incidences surrounded by murder and suspicion. Spade was suspected by Archer’s wife to have ki lled him in order to inherit her, but he got out of the loop. Joel Cairo enticed him with $5,000 fee to find the falcon, he further pointed spade his gun as a threat so that he could look for it in the office. Spade was not cowed, he knocked Cairo down and when he was in his right mind he considered hiring Spade. His masculine power is shown when the movie shows him bringing Cairo down, this sends a message that the ultimate hero is a person with unmatched muscle power. Throughout the film, Spade appears bold, unshaken and cunning. He is a man whose heroism has been expressed by the treatment he gives to other characters and the prowess he depicts in handling every incidence. Masculine characters in the Chandler’s novel depict some higher level of accomplishment. Marlowe is a man capable of engaging in investigations reliably. He is able to track the behind the scenes pornographic activities in Geiger’s bookshop. In this scene, it appears the source of the blackmail is the involvement of Carmen in pornographic activities. This incidence shows a situation where feminine characters are used for the benefit of the masculine ones. In the bookstore, the role of a