Marlowe

I chose to analyze the symbol of the knight in regards to Detective Philip Marlowe.

Detective Philip Marlowe, the protagonist in Raymond Chandler’s The Big Sleep, is an honest man who is willing to find the truth at any cost. Ironically he only gets paid twenty five dollars a day plus expenses. Today he would be considered a regular “knight in shining armor”, ready to do whatever it takes to solve any mystery that comes his way, and doing it for less than minimum wage. In this novel he closes the first case only to stumble upon a new case, at which he is doing on his own time and for no money at all. Significantly, the symbol of the knight appears many times throughout the novel. Towards the end of the story Marlowe’s knighthood, success and integrity are all questioned when he must overcome problem after problem to unleash the truth.

The novel opens with Detective Marlowe staring at a stained glass window at the Sternwood estate. He is at the mansion on an assignment to speak to General Sternwood He is about to be hired to handle a blackmailing case involving one of the General’s daughter. The stained glass shows a knight saving a lady, also known as a “damsel in distress”, from a tree. As he is sitting there Marlowe thinks to himself that the knight isn’t really making much progress in saving the “naked” lady. Feeling the need to help, as he often does, Marlowe believes he will have to climb up there and save her himself. Later on in the novel he is actually placed in the knight’s position when he must rescue the naked Carmen Sternwood, one of the General’s daughters. His earlier thoughts

foreshadowed this heroic event and also show the importance of how well Marlowe commits himself to his work.

Another motif of the knight is seen right after Detective Marlowe saves Carmen Sternwood. As she lay nude in his bed Marlowe looks down at his chessboard and moves the knight. Later he puts the piece back to its original spot. This can only mean that Marlowe has realized that he has made the wrong move, or that he would be making the

wrong move if he slept with Carmen. Instead he remains true to himself and of course his knighthood. After all, the knightly things to do would be to get Carmen dressed and take

her home. Looker deeper into it, Carmen is the queen of the chessboard. She is richer has more power and is probably a whole lot prettier than Marlowe. Once again the knight is used to