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The Big Sleep Chivalry Quotes

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Chivalry is not dead. While we’ve heard this saying sarcastically repeated throughout the 21st century, Raymond Chandler’s novel The Big Sleep seeks to preserve chivalrous virtues in a declining moral society. Marlowe’s character flaws are presented throughout the novel through his moral code. Chandler’s portrays Detective Philip Marlowe as a knight, who appears to have a stricter moral code than the rest of society. Marlowe begins the novel by observing a stained glass window portraying a knight lackadaisically liberating a nude lady bound by ropes. Marlow says, “I would sooner or later have to climb up there and help him. He didn't seem to be really trying” (Chandler -). This brief moment sets up a fundamental character trait of Marlowe.

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