Analysis

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Historical Context

Hammett's debut novel unmistakably reveals his strong working-class sympathies and dissatisfaction with both the American social system and his former role as an enforcer for those who exploit others. Established in 1850, the Pinkerton Detective Agency played a crucial role in law enforcement in the United States, especially during a time when there was a lack of national agencies to handle interstate crime. The agency was often employed to manage cases that exceeded the scope and abilities of local police departments. The Industrial Workers of the World (I.W.W.) aimed to organize industrial labor across the nation, leading to frequent and sometimes violent strikes. These events proved advantageous for Pinkerton's agency, which was regularly hired to break up strikes and interfere with union activities. Hammett had several assignments of this nature and expressed deep regret over his involvement in such cases. His growing disillusionment with detective work and his increasing interest in Marxist social philosophy can be traced back to his revulsion with these anti-union tasks.

Apart from these themes, which are closely tied to Hammett's personal experiences, Red Harvest shares social concerns similar to those found in the works of authors like Theodore Dreiser, Frank Norris, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. These writers critically highlighted social injustices in America and lamented the decline of the American Dream. Consequently, Red Harvest emerges as a work of social critique, spotlighting the persistent corruption of the American pastoral ideal, unveiling the violent and avaricious world of the Prohibition era, and presenting several existential challenges to individuals who oppose such corruption and greed.

Personville, where most of the story unfolds, serves as a microcosm of the United States. Its sarcastic nickname, Poisonville, reflects its corrupted nature, a concept described by critic George Grella as "The Great Bad Place." Crime isn't just present in the town; it's the status quo. Personville's location in the West—possibly a blend of Boulder, Colorado, and the mining towns of Butte and Anaconda, Montana—symbolizes the erosion of the frontier spirit. This transformation from a frontier to an industrial urban environment has turned the often justified violence of the West into the criminal violence of gangsters and tycoons, driven solely by greed and power.

Hammett views Personville as "sick from the diseases of violence, greed, and capitalist extortion," representing a broader societal issue. The violence brought in by Elihu Wilsson to suppress coal miners' labor unrest has become permanent, ultimately leading to his own son's death. Although a questionable order is eventually reinstated, Hammett suggests that Personville's moral decay is beyond repair. Eventually, someone will fill the power gap left by the National Guard's inevitable departure, which Elihu Wilsson had called in at the request of the Continental Op.

Style and Technique

The evolution of the American hard-boiled detective novel diverges significantly from the lineage one might expect. Rather than evolving directly from the works of classic detective fiction like those of Arthur Conan Doyle or Agatha Christie, its roots are embedded in the traditions of medieval romance and the American Western novel. The classic detective stories often unfold within idyllic, rural-pastoral settings, while hard-boiled narratives are reminiscent of Grailquest romances. These tales feature heroes who traverse desolate landscapes, undertaking arduous quests amidst decaying societies, much like knights of old who sought to rejuvenate barren lands under the shadow of a failing king.

The Western novel also serves as a precursor, with its protagonists often fighting for civilization against the chaos of the frontier. These characters, despite their allegiance to the advancement of society, remain ambivalent, preferring the untamed wilds over the encroaching civilizations they ostensibly protect. This duality is evident in...

(This entire section contains 594 words.)

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the character of the hard-boiled detective, epitomized by the Continental Op. This figure is a modern knight-errant, a Don Quixote who battles his metaphorical windmills with a unique blend of violence and practicality. Unlike their medieval counterparts, these detectives find no fair maidens to save; instead, they encounter complex, morally ambiguous figures like Dinah Brand, who resonate more with Dulcinea than Guinevere.

The Continental Op, as a character, straddles two worlds: one of chivalric quests and another of frontier justice akin to James Fenimore Cooper’s Natty Bumppo or Owen Wister’s Virginian. These heroes, often solitary and disillusioned with urban life, inhabit the frontier’s law-anarchy divide. Despite their reluctance, they become defenders of the defenseless, utilizing their unique skillsets to combat violence. Yet, gratitude is a rare reward; once the immediate threat subsides, the hero is often unappreciated and returns to solitude, much like the cowboy retreating into the sunset.

In the hard-boiled tradition, the Continental Op stands as a pivotal figure. His story is one of brutal realism, acknowledging his own moral ambiguity with a mix of horror and fascination. This complexity sets him apart from both the saintly Lew Archer of Ross Macdonald’s novels and the notoriously violent Mike Hammer created by Mickey Spillane. His tale is a testament to the intricate balance of morality and violence inherent in the genre.

Dashiell Hammett’s Red Harvest exemplifies the differences between classic and hard-boiled detective narratives. Classic stories often revolve around the intellectual challenge of solving a mystery within an orderly society, whereas Red Harvest depicts crime as a reflection of a deeply flawed American society. The primary focus shifts from solving a murder to surviving and upholding a semblance of moral integrity in a corrupt world. The murder of Donald Wilsson serves merely as the backdrop to a broader narrative that emphasizes the struggle against a decayed moral landscape.

This shift is accentuated by Hammett’s use of a nameless first-person narrator, who offers a detached yet emotionally charged recounting of events. The Op’s experiences, particularly his drug-induced dreams of failed pursuits, highlight his obsession and growing realization that true victory in his fight against evil is unattainable. These symbolic dreams parallel the Flitcraft episode in The Maltese Falcon, further underscoring the novel’s literary depth.

Moreover, Red Harvest showcases Hammett’s innovative approach to storytelling. It is a composite of four previously published Op stories from Black Mask between 1927 and 1928: "The Cleansing of Poisonville," "Crime Wanted-Male or Female," "Dynamite," and "The 19th Murder." This blend of narratives not only reinforces the hard-boiled detective’s complex heritage but also solidifies the genre’s distinct place in American literature.

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