October 20th – “The Maltese Falcon” by Dashiell Hammett
Below are the discussion questions from the SCC Book Corner meeting on October 20, 2008.
1. Why does Sam Spade take the case, even though her suspects that “Miss Wonderly” is lying?
2. Is Sam Spade a hero? How would you describe his personal moral code?
3. Why might Hammett avoid describing any of the novel’s murders and sexual scenes in detail?
4. What do the novel’s three women – Brigid O’Shaughnessy, Effie Perine, and Iva Archer- have in common?
5. What motivates Sam Spade to find the falcon?
6. At what point did you solve the crime?
SCC Book Corner 