I don't think we're too far apart, Dave. I'm suggesting that
anyone who's insane is ill-equipped to deal with killing
someone, and you're suggesting that it doesn't matter whether
they kill someone or not, they're still insane. Both
statements are true.
I would say, though, that if you talk about characters
confronting their own morality, I'm not sure what you mean if
you're not refering to their choice as to whether they should
kill someone or not. Which is back to my suggestion that it's
all about a confrontation with death...
Al
--- In
rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com, "Dave Zeltserman"
<dz@...> wrote:
>
> Al, the point I'm trying to make is that these
characters tend to
be
> remorseless, and for the most part they don't feel a
hell of a lot
> of guilt or spend much time agonizing over the
murders they've
> committed, and for the most part these don't
contribute to the
hell
> they find themselves in--except for the consequences
if they get
> discovered. I liked Mark's comments about characters
being forced
to
> confront their own morality, and what they will or
will not do to
> get what they want--I think that's spot on. Other
forces other
than
> their conscience over their acts or worrying about
their own
> mortality tends to land them in their private hell.
Some spoilers
> below...
>
> In Double Indemnity, Walter Huff and Phyliss are
completely
> remorseless about murdering her husband. They're
screwed because
> they ended up in place where they're stuck with each
other and
> suicide is the only way out.
>
> Hell of a Woman, Dolly Dillon is completely
remorseless about
> killing the old woman and drunk laborer he set up as
the fall guy.
> Psychically he's already damaged goods well before
the murders and
> the robbery--someone who finds a way to make the
worst of any
> situation, and his hardluck of losing the old
woman's money is
more
> than enough to drive him over the edge. By the time
he kills his
> wife, he has already slipped into
insanity.
>
> Pop. 1280, Nick Corey is also completely remorseless
over his
acts,
> and I don't see the murders causing the hell he ends
up in.
>
> Swell-Looking Babe, the bellhop, Dusty, might
somehow be
responsible
> for his dad's (and mom's death), and he might be
facing his own
> impending death, but the hell he lands in is because
he's lost the
> woman that he needs.
>
> While most noir books include a murder or two (or
three), these
> characters tend to be remorseless, and the hell they
find
themselves
> trapped in tend be caused by other factors--although
fear of
> exposure for a murder could be one of them, but
again, I see it
more
> as a spiritual death or loss-- the character has
gotten to a point
> where salvation is no longer possible and they can't
live within
> anymore within their own skin. Anyway, that's my
take!
>
> --Dave Z,
>
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