Understanding Respect

by admin on February 21st, 2011

Parker, part 3

Richard Stark (pseudonym for Donald E. Westlake) rarely wastes any time getting to the action. The first sentence of many chapters (and a few books) show the reader that action comes first and we ain’t wasting any time on introductions. The only question you have is whether Parker is on the giving or receiving end of whatever violence is occurring.

“When the woman screamed, Parker awoke and rolled off the bed.” (first sentence of The Outfit)
“When the guy with asthma finally came in from the fire escape, Parker rabbit-punched him and took his gun away.” (from The Mourner)
“When he didn’t get any answer the second time he knocked, Parker kicked the door in.” (from The Seventh)

And if books/chapters begin with such a harsh, unforgiving dose of violence, they don’t end any differently:

“They tied him and left him in a closet. They never did remember to go back.” (from The Mourner)

“He buried him in the cellar in the hole the kid had dug himself.” (from The Jugger)
“Another two hundred fifty dollars bye-bye,” Weiss said, and Uhl shot him in the head. (from The Sour Lemon Score)
“A bullet cut Parker’s right earlobe.” (from The Seventh)
““It’s Parker,” he said and hit her twice in the stomach. She fell retching to the floor, and he stepped on her back on the way out.” (from The Hunter)

Hmmm. When you read all these sentences back-to-back, it doesn’t make for a very happy world Parker lives in. And it’s not.