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The Maltese Falcon

The Maltese FalconThemesMain CharactersNumbersIn the shadows of 1920s San Francisco, morally ambiguous detective Sam Spade unravels the mystery of a stolen statue and discovers the lies and violence shrouding its recovery. The Maltese Falcon explores the question of how honor and justice can exist in a world defined by deceit and greed.DeceptionDeception is at the root of most relationships, clouding the ability to tell truth from lies and undermining trust.Hard-Boiled DetectiveSam Spade represents both traditional ideas about masculinity and moral ambiguity.Femme FataleFemale sexuality is presented as dangerous, a secret weapon used by devious women to control others.Effie PerineLoyal, dependable secretarySam SpadeCynical detective; drinker, smoker, womanizerBrigid O'ShaughnessyDevious femme fataleJoel Cairo