The Writing Machine

Stories by Christian Cloud Abraham

When Tough Guys Collapse

[CONTAINS SPOILERS]

In Dashiell Hammett’s, The Glass Key, Ned Beaumont is brutally beaten and locked in a room. After the beating, he attempts to open the door and receives another beating for it. When he regains consciousness from the second beating, he attempts the door again, and again is beaten. This cycle goes on a few more times until there comes a point where Ned breaks down and looks for another way out. He finds an old, rusty razor in the bathroom and attempts to slit his wrists. But when the razor is too dull, and his hands too shaky to do the job, he collapses into tears and gets it all out and gets over it. Then, he pulls his head together, uses his wits, and manages to get out. I love this character: The hard-boiled tough guy who is not afraid to take the beatings, but also knows when it is time to breakdown, collapse, get it out, get over it, and get out.

END
© 2006 Christian Cloud Abraham

Posted on March 8, 2006 in
Emotion: Subjection, Type: Journal Entry