The big sleep Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The big sleep - Essay Example 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 â€Å"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. 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