Early Twentieth-Century Fiction
English 358:358, Fall 2022
“to do with dadababu coming back…Alas, the mistaken human heart! Its delusions never end.”
The postmaster 1891 by Rabindranuth Tagore pg. 34
This quote shows the narrator has his own thoughts in response to the story and can make his own comments such as “Alas, the mistaken human heart!” It shows how the narrator is aware of the next step in the story is somewhat taunting of the character because he is a couple steps ahead.
“She was borned in the slavery time when folks, dat is black folks, didn’t sit down anytime dey felt lak it. So sittin’ on porches lak de white madam looked lak uh mighty fine thing tuh her. Dat’s what she wanted for me-don’t keer whut it cost.”
This quote shows through the eyes of Nanny the division among races during the time which the novel was set due to slavery. It shows how African Americans were set to work all day and not rest while members of the white race would relax and quote on quote sit on porches.
“Then again, you and the police have both accused me of being mixed up in the other night’s murders. I’ve had trouble with both of you before. As far as I can see, my best chance of clearing myself of the trouble you’re trying to make for me is by bringing in the murderers–all tied up.
The Maltese Falcon (Last page of chapter 14) *I have a pdf and it does not give page numbers*
https://www.sanjuan.edu/cms/lib/CA01902727/Centricity/Domain/334/The%20Maltese%20Falcon.pdf
This passage shows the non existence of Spade’s morality. Morality is defined as the principles concerning between the distinction of right and wrong. This shows the non existence of Spade’s morals because he is not being a detective for the purpose of catching the criminals to put them off the streets but he is catching the criminals to prove himself innocent and only cares about himself in general.
“I used to know her quite well, you know, dear, down in Hampshire, when she was a girl. Christine Ford, she was then ,and I remember so well the dreadful trouble there was about her marrying a Jew . That was before he made his money, of course, in that oil business out in America. The family wanted her to marry Julian Freke, who did so well afterwards and was connected with the family, but she fell in love with this Mr. Levy and eloped with him . He was very handsome, then, you know , dear, in a foreign–looking way, but he hadn‘t any means, and the Fords didn‘t like his religion. Of course we‘re all Jews nowadays, and they wouldn‘t have minded so much if he‘d pretended to be something else.”
Sayers, Dorothy L. Whose Body? Harper and Brothers, 1923 (pg. 56)
I picked this passage because throughout the story it is mentioned and related multiple times that the deadman and Levy are both of Jewish heritage and now this is passage shows social contradiction by having Lord Peters mother show clear anti semitic thoughts. The author is making it clear that the reason of the murder was being Jewish and not pretending to be someone else which is what the duchess wanted Levy to do creating a huge social contradiction for the 1920’s timeframe.
“I have never seen him go to town in overalls. His wife, they say.” pg. 13
This sentence from page 13 shows the limited perception of the character Darl.
“I prefer your flowers, then, to other people’s fruit, and your mistakes to other people’s successes,” said gallant Doctor Hugh. “It’s for your mistakes I admire you.” (James 347)
I choose this passage in response to theme observation because it has a key literary device which always seem to strike me as important pieces of a story. This passage has a metaphor comparing Dencombe’s mistakes to other people’s successes. Not only does this passage teach the important lesson of learning from mistakes but it shows Doctor Hugh’s own observation of the author Dencombe himself through the story.
*this was submitted late in comparison to the due date last week because I added the class after the assignment was given out, from now on assignments will be completed in a timely manner*