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Comparison Of Frankenstein And The Maltese Falcon

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The prevalence of intense obsessions within characters of drama or fictitious literature is undeniable. This has created a reoccuring theme of self-destruction. In “The Maltese Falcon” by Dashiell Hammett, the audience is presented with several characters obsessed with obtaining a priceless statue. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein also featured an obsessed character. Victor Frankenstein’s was consumed by his goal of creating life and the outcome haunted him until his death. This paper will analyze the obsessive behaviors of Brigid O’Shaughnessy and Victor Frankenstein, and then compare and contrast them.
“The Maltese Falcon” Dashiell Hammett’s “The Maltese Falcon” was centered around a frantic search for a jewel encrusted bird. Samuel Spade was …show more content…

She hardly ever utters a sentence that’s 100% true. Whether it be lying about the value of the statuette, Thursby’s loyalty, or her history, she can easily manipulate most listeners and make them believe she needs to be protected or assisted. Spade is one of the few who catches her frequent lies. Although she says “so tired of it all, of [herself], of lying and thinking up lies, and of not knowing what is a lie and what is the truth,” she continues to mislead people in order to get her to the falcon (Hammett, 48). She also uses her sex appeal to control the men around her. She is regularly described as a beautiful woman and she uses that to her advantage. She used Miles’s trust to get close to him and murder him. Miles was blinded by this attractive woman. As Spade said, “He was just dumb enough for that. He'd've looked you up and down and licked his lips and gone grinning from ear to ear--and then you could've stood as close to him as you liked in the dark and put a hole through him” (Hammett, 114). She was able to use her beauty and helplessness to lure a man to his …show more content…

When he succeeds he finds himself repulsed by the creature and runs away from it. Angry, the monster runs away as well. The creature finds himself hiding in the home of a small family. Here he learns to read, write, and love humans. When he is rejected by the family his demeanor grows violent and angry. He vows revenge on his creator, but also longs for company. After Frankenstein denies the monster his request for a bride in return for his disappearance, the creature decides to rid his selfish creator of his loved ones. He kills many people Frankenstein loves, but eventually runs away again. Frankenstein, ruined and depressed, spends the rest of his life chasing after his family’s

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