Memorable Characters
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by Carol Pouliot
It’s astonishing that Dashiell Hammett’s Sam Spade only appeared in one novel. The Maltese Falcon (1930) was first serialized in the Black Mask magazine, in five episodes beginning in September 1929. The hard-boiled, tough talking private investigator was on his way to becoming an icon. Hammett sold the movie rights and the film starring Humphrey Bogart was released in 1941. The public still couldn’t get enough; widespread interest compelled the author to write several short stories featuring the PI in The Adventures of Sam Spade and Other Stories (1944) and in A Man Called Spade (1944). Brash and relentless, cold and detached, with a soft spot for a dame, Sam Spade broke the mold of the traditional genteel gentleman detective, making an indelible mark on American culture.
What was it about mystery readers in the 1930s that drew them to this type of PI? Maybe the stock market crash in October 1929 caused readers to look for a tough guy who refused to give up, someone they could look up to, and trust that he would make it all work out in the end. During the height of the Depression, Sam Spade became a hero who confronted all obstacles, who wouldn’t let anyone down, who triumphed in the end. Perhaps he was an escape from the reality of the day and hope for the future.
Photo credit: L.W. Currey, Inc. / John W. Knott, Jr., Bookseller, LLC.
Two of my most memorable characters are Inspector Morse, the Oxford policeman in Colin Dexter’s novels, and Melrose Plant, Chief Inspector (later Superintendent) Richard Jury’s friend and partner-in-crime in the Martha Grimes’s mysteries named for pubs in the U.K.
Morse is gruff, blunt, and abrasive. He doesn’t suffer fools, yet he inspires the undying loyalty of his sidekick, Sergeant Lewis. Morse is a lonely, middle-aged bachelor who constantly loses his heart to the “wrong woman”—suspects and victims alike. He’s brilliant but makes mistakes in every case he investigates. Avid crossword puzzle solver, “good” beer drinker, and classical-music lover, Morse stands out as a unique and fascinating detective, always shrouded in melancholy and mystery. Although I’m fascinated by this complex character, I'm not sure I’d like to hang out with him.
Colin Dexter (left) , and John Thaw (right), the actor who plays Morse, on the set in Oxford. Photo: The Daily Mail
Melrose Plant is one of my all-time favorite characters. What I like most is his dry, often understated, sense of humor and intelligent wit. While he’s plagued by his Aunt Agatha, inappropriate in both word and deed, the reader hears his hilarious thoughts as he suffers her interruptions on a daily basis. Melrose Plant is a member of the aristocracy but has given up his titles. He’s educated, cultured, loyal, and generous. He’s unlucky in love and awkward when trying to talk with children. Melrose Plant is an immensely likable and entertaining character, with whom I’d definitely enjoy a pint of Old Peculiar.
The Yorkshire Moors, where several of Martha Grimes’s mysteries take place. Photo: Carol Pouliot
Is it their cleverness or charm, heroism or humanity that stays with us? Maybe all of those things.
Who are your memorable characters? Please share with us in the comments below.
Top photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash