Maltese Falcon Sparknotes

A detective must develop a quick wit and sharp observational skill to analyze, examine and evaluate the clues in order to uncover the greatest mysteries. In “The Maltese Falcon,” by Dashiell Hammett, detective Sam Spade combines several features of a worthy private investigator, most notably his detached demeanor, a keen eye for detail, and unflinching determination to achieve his justice. At the end of the novel, Sam Spade accused Brigid O’Shaughnessy of killing Spade’s partner, Miles Archer. Spade puts her under extreme emotional and time pressure, so she breaks down and confesses. However, at what point of the novel did Spade notice the best, most convincing evidence that led him to believe that Brigid O’Shaughnessy killed Archer.

Thursby did not become frightened into leaving town nor did he confront Archer. Consequently, Brigid used a revolver she had of Thursby to shoot Archer in a blind alley. She assumed detective Spade would blazon it to the authorities that Thursby was the one who had killed Archer, given the fact that Archer was tracking Thursby during the time of the occurrence. By which, Thursby would have no other choice but to fleet from San Francisco or be arrested for

Beside Thursby, Gutman had also appointed Joel Cairo, dark-skinned flashily dressed agent, to find the Maltese Falcon. Cairo, noticing the officers, vigorously indicts Brigid and Spade to have attacked him after his arrival to the apartment and proclaimed that Brigid threatened to murder him. Thus far, Brigid had attempted to depict as an innocent and harmless lady that needs protection; depending on one’s view of Brigid’s ethical integrity, she could appear as the victim. However, in retrospect, if Cairo had attempted to attack her first, as Brigid utterly proclaims, Brigid could have cried for help, knowing that there were police officers nearby that would have helped her. Instead, she violently attacked Cairo and even threatened to murder him. Once Cairo yelled, Brigid quickly set the scene for it to look like the victim to evade Sam from realizing the type of person she was. It was at this moment when Spade began to question her intentions “What did you do to Cairo...and then you smacked him with the gun?” by which she admitted to having done. (83) By admitting to hurting him, Spade understood that she was not an innocent girl, and realized that she would not hesitate to hurt a person. Giving him the intuition that she would not hesitate to