Here are some of the Hammettisms we identified in class (and stole from Vince Emery).
Vivid Characters: the story features two characters who are vividly described and very different from one another.
Natural Voices: the story features two characters, each of whom speaks naturally, but who have different cadences or styles of speaking.
Struggle for Dominance: the story features one character who tries to dominate another character psychologically.
Corruption and Break Down: a social institution—like marriage, church, or government—breaks down.
Main Character is Working Class: the main character is working class or poor; specify their job and include their job in the story.
Main Character Takes Pride in Competence in His or Her Job: the main character prides themselves in doing their job well.
Main Character Does not Drive: the main character does not drive; explore what the character has to do to compensate.
A Fat Man: the story features a fat man; the man’s fatness is a sign of being pathetic or weak.
A Stenographer: the story features a stenographic reporter or some other job involving taking notes or recording what others do.
A Movie Theater or Owner: the story features a movie theater or theater owner, who plays a major role.
Meticulous Description of Clothing: the clothing of each character is described in detail.
Superspecificity: the story contains a passage in which the action is described in hyperreal detail.
A Troubled Romantic Relationship: the story features a couple who’s relationship is distorted and manipulative.
A Lack of Feeling and Its Consequences: one character is unfeeling; the story explores the consequences of that unfeelingness on other characters.
An Untrustworthy Woman: a woman turns out to be untrustworthy.
A Conspiracy: two or more characters conspire together.
The Protagonist Makes his or her Own Moral Rules: the protagonist does not follow an external moral order—like the Church—but makes his or her own moral rules.
The Detective is Tempted: the detective is tempted to break his moral code—take a bribe, quit, etc..
The Detective Gets Surprised: the detective makes an important mistake or is surprised at least once.
Circular Fable: a character works through a problem, but by the end of the story, ends up facing the same problem all over again.
