Essay #2

In order for a novel to have significance and keep the reader involved, it must use
at least one type of character who serves a particular role. Whether the character is an
antagonist, mentor, protagonist, or other, the role or function they play is often times
made up by using a creative mind and letting the character naturally find their role. It is
often times common for readers to connect with these characters and care about the work
they do. In the case of many detective fiction novels, a protagonist is often used at the
main character. This character is responsible for handling the main problem and the one
who is often times in most need of change. In the novel The Maltese Falcon, Sam Spade
is the protagonist who is handling two murders, while also dealing with a mysterious
black bird. The specific role and purpose of his character can be compared to that of
Sherlock Holmes in The Hound of the Baskervilles. Both protagonists are fictional
detectives with a similar style for solving crime. At the end of the day, the purpose and
role of Sam Spade is to solve crime in an exciting and stimulating way that keeps readers
on their toes, while getting the job done, a style that is similar to Sherlock Holmes.
Therefore, it is fair to compare the two through the type of crime they solve, the distance
from authority, and the ability to solve crimes right away.
To begin Sam Spades role and purpose can be defined by a quote from the novel,
which he says himself. When talking to Brigid O'Shaughnessy, Sam Spade quotes Youll
never understand me, but Ill try once more and then well give it up. Listen. 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. Then it happens we were in the detective business. Well, when one of

your organization gets killed its bad business to let the killer get away bad for that one
organization and bad for every detective everywhere. Third, Im a detective and
expecting me to run criminals down and let them go free is like asking a dog to catch a
rabbit and let it go (page 213). Here, Sam Spade has defined himself as a detective; it is
who he is as a human being. It is not only how he makes a living, but it is also who he is
as a person. That definition entails certain behaviors that he cannot change if he is to
maintain his identity. At the end of the day, being a detective according to Sam Spade
involves catching criminals and bringing them to justice.
One could argue this is comparable to who Sherlock Holmes is as a character, he
is a detective and that is how he likes to be classified. Similar to Spade, Holmes is the
driving force behind all of the action of the novel. The two use similar logic and always
evaluate the evidence when solving a crime. Looking at these characters from the type of
crime they solve allows readers to care who they are as detectives and human beings.
This can be seen in the fact that both Spade and Holmes dealt with violence in both
crimes, they both dealt with murder. Violence and corruption were common aspects of the
crime and people tended to get aggressive. Due to these factors, it was common to see
these detectives deal with crime involving death, dishonesty, and a darker side of human
nature. When these factors are presented in a crime, readers tend to connect with the
detective more, because they believe justice will be found through them. This is just one
way in which a relationship can be formed between the two characters.
When defining these characters and connecting a relationship between the two, a
key aspect that defines who these characters are is that they dont go to the police; they
avoid authority figures at all cost. In the eyes of these men, they are above the law and act

that way in order to preserve justice. Both men are more concerned with the moral code
and right and wrong, even if the police disagreed. This aspect of their character is a big
reason in which they didnt work with authority figures. Both men made it their mission
to stay away from authority until the crime was solved. The police, of course, want to
capture the criminal and see legal justice dispensed. That is not the style of Spade and
Holmes; they seek retribution of their own. As seen in both novels, the detectives distance
themselves from the police and call on them once the crime was solved to apprehend the
criminal. Holmes doesnt get involved with the police at all, and Spade is very short with
the police. Detective fiction is all about the moral code. It is the business of our moral
playground. The detective's moral code develops from the simple notion of
professionalism to the complex realization of the depth of human need. They do not allow
the police their moral and personal codes. These two characters can have a strong
relationship based on their moral code.
Lastly, the key aspect of who these protagonists are and the purpose they serve is
that in both novels Sam Spade and Sherlock Holmes know who committed the crime
fairly early on, before readers can figure it out themselves. In The Maltese Falcon, one
can say Spade knows whom killed Miles Archer by page sixteen and in The Hound of the
Baskervilles, Sherlock Holmes knows who killed Sir Charles by Chapter Five. This
similarity between the two characters shows the power they have in deciphering crime. It
is who they are. Not only are they detectives because that is how they make a living, but
because they can figure out who committed the crime long before anyone else. However,
though they both figure out the crime early, they do not give it away to others. They take
their time and analyze everything before making the final conclusion. These two

characters find joy in what they do and how well they do it, a reason why they are so
precise and wait until the last moment before letting the readers know why committed the
crime.
Upon inspection, the characters of Sam Spade and Sherlock Holmes have a
relationship that begins to look quite alike. These characters pull in the readers and the
readers emotion into the work they do. They cause us to connect, to care, and to analyze
the purpose they serve. Both Spade and Holmes followed personal codes that could not
be swayed by others, including authority figures. These detectives may have taken
different routes both maintained suspense throughout the novel and kept the reader
wanting more. In the end, both characters solved their cases in equally qualified fashions.
Though not from the same story, these two characters can build a relationship on the
similar work they do. Both Spade and Holmes represent an effort to represent a true
detective and can truly be defined as a protagonist.