Reading W9 Part A: Hammett

Reading Notes are from “The Maltese Falcon” by Hammett, pgs. 429-436

• It’s interesting that he is a mystery writer, and one because his career influence. 
• Joel Cairo feels like an angry monster who owns a store so far. With an alcohol problem.
• A youth of 20-21, especially if this was set in the early 1900s feels a bit condescending since many at that age had jobs and families. 
• “Habadasher,” I love the use of this, since it’s mostly gone from common use, despite there being many places you can get sewing notions and fabrics, but we never call them habadasheries anymore!
• All three characters winding up at the theater, and then I feel like this is the part where their lives intertwine
• A “Yale lock” ... interesting to point out the brand name of the lock, maybe it was a bit more secure than others in this time and he wanted us to notice that?
• The cute muse girl, and she has her matching lingerie to greet Spade too. 
• The innocence of a woman was a very and still is an appealing trait to use for a character to make her more favorable to the reader.
• “Five thousand for the black bird” Im sure this isn’t what it is said directly.
• Is Brigid perhaps the “black bird?” It kind of sounds like she’s pleading to him not to sell her to Cairo. Perhaps a prostitution ring?
• Is Iva a mistress or another girl trapped in their plots?