RARA-AVIS: insider-outsider

Stephen Holden (s.holden@lcpdt.linst.ac.uk)
Wed, 17 Jun 1998 10:04:11 -0700 Theres been discussion on the list recently about the hard-boiled
protagonists relationship to society. I found this quote recently in a
book called Thrillers: genesis & structure of a popular genre by an
English academic, Jerry Palmer. Hes talking generally about literary
protagonists of thrillers like policemen and spies, but does the list
think it could be applied to PIs?

"The hero is not, of course, an outsider [to society] to the same extent
as the villain; he is more an insider-outsider. He shares the general
moral perspective of the community he serves, but is forced to spend
most of his time outside it, in an unpleasant world to which he is
professionally adapted, and to behave in a way that is only just
tolerable to the community."

-Stephen-
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