Quote 10
"You're going to tell the governor that your city police have got out of hand, what with bootleggers sworn in as officers, and so on. You're going to ask him for help – the national guard would be best." (26.40)
The Op orders Elihu to re-establish order in Personville by replacing the entire police force and bringing in the National Guard. What are the chances that the National Guard will be able to reinstate law and order in the city? Does Hammett leave us with a hopeful image of Personville's future or a bleak one?
Quote 11
"Shall we go out and look at the remains?" I suggested, getting up.
He neither got up nor looked up.
"No," he said wearily to his lap. "To tell the truth, I don't want to. I don't know as I could stand it just now. I'm getting sick of this killing. It's getting to me – on my nerves, I mean. […] Everybody's killing everybody. Where's it going to end?" (18.30)
All this blood and death is finally getting to Noonan. In one of his rare moments of vulnerability, Noonan expresses his disgust with all the killing and we actually find ourselves sympathizing with him. What does Noonan's disgust reveal to us about the dangers of violence?
Quote 12
"I've arranged a killing or two in my time, when they were necessary. But this is the first time I've ever got the fever. It's this damned burg. You can't go straight here. I got myself tangled at the beginning. When old Elihu ran out on me there was nothing I could do but try to set the boys against each other. I had to swing the job the best way I could. How could I help it if the best way was bound to lead to a lot of killing? The job couldn't be handled any other way without Elihu's backing." (20.22)
This is probably the only moment in the novel when the Op expresses actual feelings of regret for his role in starting all the violence. He tells Dinah how he could have chosen other methods, but that the "best" way involved a lot of killing. Do you buy this explanation? Has Personville poisoned the Op with bloodlust, or is he only making excuses for himself?