Small Yellow Dog, Long Goodbye Essay, Research Paper
Comparative Essay:
The Little Yellow Dog & A ; The Long Goodbye
Every human being must hold a set of moral codifications. These ethical motives are normally set out by the people and environments that one finds themselves surrounded by. Easy Rawlins, the chief supporter in The Little Yellow Dog by Walter Mosely, is exposed to offense at an early age, and is surrounded by it for most of his life. On the other manus, Philip Marlowe, the chief supporter in The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler, grows up in a peaceable and pleasant environment. His first experiences with offense occur when he becomes a private research worker. As grownups, both of these work forces find themselves involved in condemnable activity. In their efforts to seek the true justness that they deserve, they are forced to withstand the jurisprudence. In making so, they experience many physical challenges, including pack whippings and constabularies bullying. They besides experience legion mental challenges, including lying to the constabulary, lead oning their ain households, and the ability to get by with all the pandemonium that is environing them. In add-on to being challenged physically and mentally, they are besides socially challenged: Marlowe and Rawlins both feel that they are looked down upon due to their businesss. By the terminal of their journeys, both characters feel that withstanding the jurisprudence can be the lone manner of accomplishing true justness.
Marlowe and Rawlins both experience immense physical challenges. At one point in The Little Yellow Dog, Rawlins finds himself assorted up in a slaying instance. The constabulary suspect Easy to be keep backing information merely because he is black. He is escorted through the cellar of the Hollywood Police Station, where it is described as 30 or so work forces populating in coops underground. Like farm animal waiting for some farther shame to be laid on them. Like sharecrop farmers or slaves populating in shanty hovels on the border of a plantation. ( Mosely 148 ) . Rawlins is appalled by the ferociousness that surrounds him. Awful isn T it, Mr. Rawlins ( Mosely 152 ) the captain asks Easy, yes it is ( Mosely 152 ) he replies, for he knows the full ground for him to be escorted through is a apparatus ( Mosely 154 ) . It is obvious to Easy that the constabulary are trying to work the gaol. Rawlins once more endures physical penalty when he is clubbed on the caput by a group of mobsters. And so a heavy weight came down on the dorsum of my caput. The Moon broke into several subdivisions and my head tried to travel sidewise, looking for a manner to maintain witting. ( Mosely 187 ) . The go oning maltreatment that Rawlins receives demonstrates his belief in obtaining true justness, non merely for himself, but for all of society. The same is seen in The Long Goodbye, when Philip Marlowe shows his dedication for true justness by protecting the individuality of his client, Terry Lennox, who is accused of slaying. During a constabulary question that rapidly becomes out of manus, Marlowe is hit on the side of the cervix with a fist like a piece of Fe ( Chandler 47 ) by the boisterous constabulary captain. At the same clip as Marlowe is go forthing the question room, the captain returns to ptyalize in the face of Marlowe. ( Chandler 50 ) . Both Rawlins and Marlowe s committedness to true justness is exemplified through their endurance of physical ferociousness.
Once a individual develops a specific codification of moralss, it is really hard to interrupt this codification. The actions that Easy Rawlins and Philip Marlowe undertake challenge their ethical motives. These two research workers are compelled to take, clip after clip, between the good of society, and their ain wellness and household life. While Easy enters a new life as a parent, he attempts to go forth behind his yesteryear of offense and unfairness. He looks out for, and merely wants the best for his kids. Easy says, the board of instruction
didn t wage much in manner of salary, but my childs had medical insurance, and I was populating a life I could be proud of. ( Mosely 11-12 ) . Easy feels that he must non state his household about his recent interactions with offense. I staggered across the floor with Feather and slumped down on the sofa. I buried my caput in Feather s thorax, excessively sad to even shout. Bonnie came to keep us, and so did my boy. My lungs were firing and my pharynx was sore from clogged cryings. ( Mosely 294 ) . Rawlins knows that if his household were to happen out what he had been involved in, their attitudes towards him would alter a great trade, and that was a hazard [ he ] wasn T willing to take. ( Mosely 36 ) . Similarly, the mental challenge that Marlowe must meet occurs when he chooses to stand on his rights ( Chandler 56 ) by staying in gaol. The attorney that is chosen to stand for Marlowe is able to put him free, but Marlowe corsets in gaol by pick. Marlowe s forfeit of his ain freedom allows his client, Mr. Lennox, to keep his artlessness. The attorney, Endicott, scolds Marlowe for being pretentious and tells him that to play the large scene ( Chandler 56 ) is excess because the jurisprudence International Relations and Security Network t justness. It s a really imperfect mechanism. If you press precisely the right buttons and are besides lucky, justness may demo up the reply. ( Chandler 56 ) . To digest and conform to the unfairnesss of the legal system are against Marlow s moralss.
As private research workers, Marlowe and Rawlins both feel that society doesn T give them the recognition and regard that they deserve. Despite this, both of these work forces perform their responsibilities with pride and devotedness. Easy Rawlins becomes tired of the discourtesy that is cast on him by much of society. At one point in the constabulary station, one of the officers glimpses at Easy and there was a start of acknowledgment in his eyes ; acknowledgment that was rapidly replaced by intuition. ( Mosley 28 ) . As highly biased and prejudiced people, the constabulary officers rapidly turn their intuition towards Easy. Being unrelentingly pushed, Easy even considers giving up his hunt wholly. A opportunity at a new life.I would be willing to chance everything for that opportunity. ( Mosely 92 ) . At this point, the lone factor that is maintaining Easy from losing full hope is his pitiless chase of justness. In Philip Marlowe s instance, as he says to one of his friends, I m a accredited private research worker and I have been for rather a piece. I m a lone wolf, single, acquiring middle-aged, and non rich. I like spirits and adult females and cheat and a few other things. The cops Don T like me excessively good, but I know a twosome I get along with. I m a native boy, born in Santa Rosa, both parents dead, no brothers or sisters, and when I get knocked off in a back back street sometime, if it happens, as it could to anyone in my concern cipher will experience that the underside has dropped out his or her life. ( Chandler 92 ) . As Marlowe is reexamining the significance of his life, he realizes where he stands as a human being, and remains apathetic to the fact that he will be easy forgotten if he is killed. Alternatively of Marlowe caring about the external respects he could have from people, he cares about the internal acknowledgment he receives from functioning his community. Marlowe and Rawlins both meekly accept the social maltreatment forced on them, and honestly transport on.
On any given twenty-four hours, any given individual can be faced with an unsurmountable figure of challenges. For Easy Rawlins and Philip Marlowe, in their quest for true justness, they are forced to withstand the jurisprudence in many ways. With their rebelliousness comes legion challenges. Included in these challenges are 1s of physical, mental, and societal significance. They conflict to the best of their abilities, non for themselves, but for the greater good of society. As work forces, these two surpass both the outlooks of their households and society in general.
