Detective story discussion The Gatewood Caper by Dashiell Hammett. :: English Literature

Detective spirit level discussion The Gatewood worry by Dashiell Hammett. The Gatewood Caper--------------------- The Gatewood Caper by Dashiell Hammett is not just an exciting emissary story its characters are real and fascinating people whoare just as believable now as when they were first created.------------------------------------------------------------------- The Gatewood Caper is a investigator story written by the authorDashiell Hammett. It was written and set during the mid-twenties in SanFrancisco, Los Angeles, in an aristocratic setting. Harvey Gatewood isa rich business worldly concern who finds out, his fille Audrey has beenkidnapped. He calls and hires a emissary, the detective tells MrGatewood to pay the ransom. However Audrey doesnt return subsequently themoney has been paid and the detective grows suspicious that somethingis not quite right. He then goes in search of Audrey and finds her inan apartment with a man. Audrey begins to subscribe to at the detec tivethrough the door, but in the end some(prenominal) her and the man give up.---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Gatewood Caper certainly is an exciting detective story. Thewriter has us guessing all through the story about who has kidnappedAudrey and enquire whom the villain could be. The detective in thisstory was only in the detective business for the money but he stillused his observations and clever to track Audrey down.---------------------------------------------------------------------Good and evil were not easy to spot in this story as the theme was notas expected, the writer kept you guessing from beginning to end, not atypical detective story. I found that the story moved very fast andgot to the point quicker than most, which held my interest as I knewit wouldnt be long till the conclusion.---------------------------------------------------------------------- most parts of the story were unconvincing. I would have expected avill ain, a heroine, and someone to get their just desserts in anyother detective story but I found the ending a subroutine of a let down whenI found out Audrey had kidnapped herself to vindicate her father.Although I did feel sorry for Audrey as her father was a thug asHammett writes He was a big bruiser of a man, something oer 200pounds of hard red flesh and a czar from the hap of his bullet to thetoes of his shoes. From this description we can understand why Audreyhas a problem with her father, especially when he lost his temper whatcould she do with a man with that physique. Audrey was both victim andvillain in this story, which was unexpected.----------------------------------------------------------------------However, Hammett puts as much dexterity into characterisation as he doesinto plot and suspense.