The Maltease Falcon

Question 1

Who is Miles Archer? Describe.

Answer 1

• Detective
• Sam Spades partner
• He’s built
• Killed

Question 2

Who decides to follow Floyd Thursday? Why?

Answer 2

Miles Archer because Brigid said that she was worried and he was following her. Archer also “called dibs” on her.

Question 3

Why did Tom Polhaus telephone Sam Spade early in the story?

Answer 3

To inform him that Archer has been shot and killed.

Question 4

Describe Lt. Dundys demeanor.

Answer 4

• Suspicious of spade

- really aggressive towards spade.

Question 5

Whom does Mrs. Archer suspect killed her husband?

Answer 5

• Spade because she wants to marry Him
• She thinks that he killed Archer because he loves her.
• Becomes obsessed with spade since Archer died.

Question 6

What did the person who went to visit Mrs. Archer the night if her husbands death notice?

Answer 6

• Notices that she had been out.
  1. Had clothes laid out that are still warm.
  2 takes a long time to answer the door. (She was stalking spade)

Question 7

What is miss Wonderlys real name? What is her other Alias?

Answer 7

• Brigid O’Shaughnessy

- Le Blanc

Question 8

Who is Sid Wise?

Answer 8

Spade lawyer

Question 9

What is Cairo looking for? What does he offer spade?

Answer 9

• Cairo is out to get the falcon

- He tells spade that he is going to pay him $5000

Question 10

What did Cairo do when spade gave him the pistol?

Answer 10

• points it right back at him

- searches the apartment for the falcon

Question 11

How does spade explain the presence of Brigid and Cairo in his apartment?

Answer 11

He says that they are just horse playing

Question 12

How does spade convince Brigid to stay?

Answer 12

He tells her that there is a kid outside staking her out and that it wasn’t safe for her to leave.

Question 13

What does spade tell her when she wakes up and that he wasn’t there?

Answer 13

He said that he had breakfast but he actually went to search her apartment.

Question 14

How does the youth act when Sam approaches him in the lobby on the Hotel Belvedere?

Answer 14

The youth is disrespectful and mocks him

Question 15

Who shot Thursby? Who shot Miles?

Answer 15

• Brigid shot Thursby

- Wilmur shot archer

Question 16

What ship was the falcon expected to be on? Who was the captain?

Answer 16

• La Paloma

- Jacoby

Question 17

Why is Effie worried when Sam gets to the office after having visited with Gutman and then wise?

Answer 17

He shows up with a bruise

Question 18

Why was the falcon painted black?

Answer 18

To hide the fact that was gold and the treasures that were in it.

Question 19

Whom does Effie see to verify the history of the falcon?

Answer 19

Her cousin who is a professor and found out that the falcon originated from Spain.

Question 20

What part of The Call, found in Cairos room, is missing?

Answer 20

• The ships arrival times.

- Jacobi is shot.

Question 21

At lunch, what does Sam find out of Polhaus about Thursby’s Chicago background?

Answer 21

• Thursby used to be a criminal.
• Bodyguard for gangsters.
• Organized crime.

Question 22

Since when has Gutman been looking for the falcon?

Answer 22

• 17 years

Question 23

Who is Wilmur?

Answer 23

• the youth working for Gutman

Question 24

What does Sam want with Wilmur in the deal he makes with Gutman?

Answer 24

Sam wants to blame Wilmur.

Question 25

Why does Sam ask Brigid to take off her clothes?

Answer 25

He wanted to prove to everyone that he doesn’t trust her.

Question 26

Who brings the falcon to the apartment?

Answer 26

Effie

Question 27

Whom does Brigid say tricked them with a fake falcon?

Answer 27

Kemidov

Question 28

What point of view was the novel written in?

Answer 28

3rd person