Social criticism in Dashiell Hammett’s "Red Harvest" and "The Maltese Falcon"

This essay will explore how social criticism is performed in two novels of Dashiell Hammett. Red Harvest is often described as “the first hard-boiled novel”, giving it the status of a literary landmark. Here the author gives us a clear impression of his characteristic world and his social vision of it. Therefore, the novel appears to be an interesting subject to look how this kind of literature employs social criticism.
The other book that will be examined here is The Maltese Falcon, one of the most popular and best known hard-boiled crime novels ever, that has served as a model for many authors. As Robert Shulman argues, Hammet gives his “social vision its fullest expression” in this novel, showing “his concern with American individualism”. Thus, as this examination is limited to two works, it seems most sensible to use The Maltese Falcon along with Red Harvest for this purpose to produce a good insight into the social criticism in Hammett’s books.
Before beginning with the study, it is necessary to make clear what ‘social criticism’ is here, as the term itself has a wide meaning. ‘Social’ will be discussed in the sense, as the Merriam-Webster dictionary puts it, “of or relating to human society, the interaction of the individual and the group, or the welfare of human beings as members of society”. This means that in a smaller sense, the term ‘social’ concerns the way the individuals, the characters of the novels, deal with each other, and, in a larger sense, how the society is organized and how its institutions treat the individual and the group, which also brings economic and political components into the scope of the study.
The Maltese Falcon and Red Harvest are particularly well suited for such a study, as they both use distinct, in some points different, in some points similar ways to criticize. They also provide a look at different issues, therefore the essay will be able to cover a greater area combining the research results from the two novels.
First, the essay will focus on the wider relations in society, the political and economical and the legal. Then, the individual relations among the characters and the criticism of them will be observed. Later, this work will also explore how the society influences the individual – here the hero – in his actions.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• The Society in Hammett's Novels
  • Criticism of Capitalism
  • Politics and the Law
  • Relations among the Individuals
    • Love
    • Family relations
• Hammett's Heroes
  • The World's Influence on the Hero
  • New Individualism
• Conclusion

Objectives and Key Themes

This essay examines the social criticism present in two novels by Dashiell Hammett, "Red Harvest" and "The Maltese Falcon". It aims to analyze how Hammett's hard-boiled crime fiction, particularly within the context of the 1920s American social and economic landscape, criticizes the dominant social structures and power dynamics of the time.

• Criticism of Capitalism and its impact on individuals and communities.
• The depiction of corrupt politics and flawed legal systems.
• Analysis of interpersonal relationships, particularly in terms of love and family dynamics.
• Exploration of the influence of society on the individual, specifically the hero's actions and decisions.
• The emergence of a new individualism in response to the societal pressures of the time.

Chapter Summaries

The essay begins with an introduction to Hammett's unique style of hard-boiled crime fiction and its historical context. It then delves into the societal backdrop of Hammett's novels, focusing on the criticism of capitalism and the depiction of a corrupt and dysfunctional system. The chapter examines the relationship between the powerful and the powerless, highlighting the impact of economic inequality on communities and individuals.

The next section explores the political and legal landscape in Hammett's novels, analyzing the portrayal of corrupt institutions and their influence on individuals. The essay examines the breakdown of traditional societal norms and the emergence of new ethical dilemmas within the context of a flawed system.

Finally, the essay explores interpersonal relationships in Hammett's novels, focusing on the depiction of love, family dynamics, and the struggle for individual agency within a society rife with corruption and inequality. The essay concludes by analyzing the role of the hero in this complex social landscape, highlighting his actions and decisions as a reflection of the societal pressures and challenges he faces.

Keywords

The main keywords and focus topics of the text are: hard-boiled crime fiction, social criticism, capitalism, corruption, politics, law, individualism, interpersonal relationships, love, family, hero, American society, 1920s.

Details

• College: University of Heidelberg (Anglistisches Seminar )
• Course: Twentieth Century Crime Fiction
• Grade: 1,7
• Author: Ole Wagner (Author)
• Publication Year: 2007
• Pages: 15
• Catalog Number: V89493
• ISBN (eBook): 9783638029117
• ISBN (Book): 9783638927277
• Language: English
• Tags: Social Dashiell Hammett’s Harvest Maltese Falcon Twentieth Century Crime Fiction