Micropost #4

A lot has happened since my last blog post. Mr. G, now identified as Gutman, meets with Spade himself. He reveals more about the origins of the bird and how valuable it is supposed to be. This conversation also clarifies Brigid's relevance in all this, because Brigid herself is untrustworthy to believe. Gutman hired her to steal the blackbird for him, but he now believes she has hidden it. Unexpectedly (once again), Gutman poisons Spade. Mysteriously, after knowing the bird was on a ship, Captain Jacobi of the ship hands Spade the blackbird seconds before dying. Throughout this section of the book, the reader grows more and more untrustworthy of all the characters. Stories challenging Brigid are introduced, and certain events are hidden from the reader, some for hours at a time. As the author states, "An hour and a half later, at twenty minutes past five, Spade returned" (166). Nothing about Spade's whereabouts is revealed, adding to the mystery and lack of trust that lies within the core of The Maltese Falcon.