How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
"Grand Juries do ask those embarrassing questions sometimes—in a rather vain effort to find out just why cities are run as they are run." (18.67)
Wilde says this in response to Marlowe's comment that the Grand Jury would want to know why the Hollywood police allowed Geiger's pornography racket to operate. Why does Wilde think that the jury's efforts would be in "vain"? What does it say about the American justice system if the D.A. doesn't have faith in the jury's ability to uncover the truth?
Quote #5
"[…] As for the cover-up, I've been in the police business myself, as you know. They come a dime a dozen in any big city. Cops get very large and emphatic when an outsider tries to hide anything, but they do the same things themselves every other day, to oblige their friends or anybody with a little pull." (18.77)
Here we find out that Marlowe used to be in the police department. He clearly has a very negative opinion about the morals of cops working in a big city. Why is corruption a bigger problem in large cities? Why is Marlowe so skeptical of the police's ability to ensure justice?
Quote #6
"The law enforcement in this town is terrific. All through prohibition Eddie Mars' place was a night club and they had two uniformed men in the lobby every night—to see that the guests didn't bring their own liquor instead of buying it from the house." (23.66)
Marlowe expresses his contempt for the law to Vivian after he protects her from being mugged at Eddie Mars' club. He's a "do-it-yourself" kind of guy. But hey, he's had to be.