The Red Wind
The Red Wind story depicts the moral decadence that engulfed the community that stayed in California. It commences with the blowing of wind during the dry season. The wind is filled with dust and passes deep into the nerves of whomever it blows. This creates tension due to its association with bad signs (Chandler, 3). The red wind symbolizes love, war, and murder. It is about the disillusionment that is experienced by the people. However, this is no longer the trend, since institutions have restored hope. The wind is depicted as strong and feared to the extent of making people close their windows. The act of closing the windows is meant to bar its entry into the houses due to the negative repercussions it is associated with (Chandler, 3). Its presence cannot go unnoticed because of its powerful nature.
The Negative Activities in Santa Ana
The wind is used as imagery to point at the negative activities that happen in Santa Ana. This is depicted from the sixth chapter where it`s imagery become clear. The negative attributes that are associated with it such as murder are revealed when cop Copernik is seen holding a pistol with the intention of killing Marlowe (Chandler, 10). Additionally, it is stated that the cop is corrupt which signifies the rot that is in the police department. They are killing the same people they are intended to protect. Moreover, their corrupt nature makes them do many negative activities for personal gratification.
The Impending Disaster
The act is figuratively described as hot wind. During the particular instance, the sound of guns being cocked from a distance. This depicts the impending disaster of killing innocent persons by guns. Instead of administering law and justice, they are the ones perpetuating injustice and disorder in the community (Chandler, 1420). The red wind is an allegory of blood, violence, and love. Blood denotes the innocent lives that were lost by the residents as a result of killings by the police. In addition to the murder, they were ferociously attacked without any lawful justification. Love that is portrayed in the theme connotes the illicit love that is characteristic of the community. It was full of prostitution, promiscuity, and other forms of sexual exploitation.
The Wrong and Malicious Nature of the Police
The wind has been used to represent the wrong and malicious nature of the police. His face and actions also demonstrate his corrupt nature. The police in those periods could detain innocent persons by accusing them falsely (Chandler, 1433). This is depicted from the intent of Copernik to arrest Marlow without any justification.
Stereotyping and Discrimination
A corrupt society is depicted as one in which its members and all institutions degenerate. That kind of society either stagnates or decays. This was reminiscent of the Red Wind where the police represented as the mirror of that society. Contrary to the initial situation, the police are very co-operative, and this can be manifested through its enhanced security status.
The Composition of the Community
The community is composed of three ethnic communities that comprise the Caucasian, the Hispanic and the Russian. The three communities do not mingle together freely with each believing to be superior to the other (Santa, 25). This makes them stay in three different groups depending on one`s descent. The people in the community are referred to from their origin as can be seen from the way Kolchenko is stereotyped as a white Russian. The descriptions accorded to her dressings reinforce the stereotyping such as the possession of a Chinese screen and a lantern (Santa, 28).
The Evolving Santa Ana
Moreover, the items on the floor are described as Turkish rugs in disparaging words that demean individuals, their homes, as well as possessions. The racial stereotyping is very rampant to the extent of each nation having its coded identity. On the other hand, the current society is made up of blacks, Indians, Asians, whites from different continents, and the Hispanic who are the natives. The Hispanic is the highest at 49.6%, the Indians are 0.6%, the Asians and blacks constitute 0.6% each, and other nations occupy the rest. It is the fifth highly populated states in the U.S, and the population has been growing over time.
The Influence of Chess
The stereotyping is also noted from the description that is given to Copernik from Italy. He is taken to be foolish, fierce, and unethical. On the other hand, his Uruguyan counterpart Leon is described as smart, considerate, and dependable. This depicts how unfair treatment has been practiced in the story which is reminiscent of the modern times. Every individual from a particular background is referred to from the region he or she hails from (Chandler, 60). This bars people from interacting and sharing ideas honestly for personal and communal growth. However, this is not happening in the current Santa Ana because of legislation that prohibits discrimination in employment.
Moral Decadence and Corruption
Additionally, people are nowadays enlightened due to globalization and work together to advance economic, political, and social development. Discrimination ceased existence when students started learning in the same schools as opposed to different schools like before. Additionally, they share the same homesteads.
The Hidden Meanings of Guns
There is also the use of chess in the Red Wind whereby its real meaning is romance. This is depicted from Lola`s entry into Dalma`s apartment. The act is referred to as a game in progress when the chess is strategically positioned in a place where anyone can notice. However, Dalmas refers to the incident as a problem as opposed to a game (Chandler, 200). This is meant to depict the immorality that took place in the region. These people were engaging in prostitution in a public set up whereby sex was done in shifts. This goes contrary to the traditional norms whereby one`s body was given a lot of respect and engaging in sex was considered sacred. This is opposite to what is being witnessed whereby it is offered freely to any willing buyer.
The Character of Dalmas
Dalmas has been used to refer to the disillusionment that is associated with the society. Nobody is willing to stand up against immorality and corruption in society. Despite knowledge of the morals, he engages in the opposite and is not worried about the repercussions. This is also evidenced by the other members of the community and fellow police who are ready to engage in prostitution, arrest, and take the lives of innocent citizens.
The Symbolism of Guns
The use of the gun in the story has a hidden meaning and interpretation. For one to possess or carry a firearm, the person must be smart and not make mistakes. The best way of maintaining a big gun is by being muscular, intelligent, and avoiding errors. It is stated that the bigger the weapon, the less masculine power an individual possesses. Leon was an excellent example of an individual who had a big gun, that could drill a wall and make him be a professional. Indeed, the weapon made Leon a professional (Chandler, 60). However, he was murdered by Waldo through bare hands which led to the conclusion of the lack of correlation between a big gun and strength. The profession, the killer, and the gun represent men who engage in passion with a lot of women. The job denotes the perfection of the art.
The Manipulation of Pearls
Al Tessilore has also been referred to as a professional due to the use of the big gun to murder Waldo. He is presumed to be more masculine in the art beyond Dalmas and Waldo. This is because of the symbolic death of killing Waldo through his prowess. Dalmas combined the three powerful techniques that were necessary to snatch women from other men. He was smart, masculine, and a killer. This is a mockery to the community and the society because it makes men move from one woman to another. Additionally, there is no indication of Dalmas` having a wife or a family. The police lived a carefree life and were a bad example to the community.
The Power of Lola
Lola`s gun is described as small and automatic. Additionally, it can grip anyone who dares cross it. However, this strength possessed by Lola is eased out due to her inability to control it. Through these descriptions, Lola has been described as a promiscuous woman who engages in passion with any man she encounters. This makes her unable to maintain one man. This diverse nature has been referred to as her masculinity which makes her attract many men, but keep none. Moreover, this attribute is what made her be divorced by her husband. Lola has been used to represent the general character of women in the Red Wind who do not respect themselves and are willing to engage in passion with men. Her female strength has emphasized the grip and smartness in keeping men. In the current Santa Ana, marriages are held with high esteem and the carefree society is phasing out.
Moral Decadence and Passion
In this scenario, the level of moral decadence is brought into question. Dalmas is portrayed as a professional who engages in the act without any protection due to his courageous nature. This highlights the carefree life led by people in Santa Ana. They do not have any reservations in engaging in illicit passion with strangers (Chandler, 78). It is the order of the day and men are free to get women as long as they can offer to serve them satisfactorily. This explains why the smart men with bigger, and stronger guns could overshadow their counterparts in the game. It is heightened by chess whereby people enter rooms to engage in passion in shifts. It was the order of the day and was not frowned upon by society. The use of these powerful and hidden words was meant to enable an individual to critically analyze the actions of the members of the community.
The Red Wind as Love and War
The red wind has been elaborated into detail by the use of passion. It means love. However, the fear of the wind makes love illicit because it is used in the wrong context. This kind of wind that blows Santa Ana is riddled with prostitution, where men and women are ready to mingle in public (Chandler, 1434). Moreover, it is a regular occurrence where people trade one another and compete depending on one`s strength. It depicts the current world where nothing that happens surprises people because of its nature of possibilities. Nothing is strange, and anything can happen at any time, anywhere, and by anybody. However, the current Santa Ana is full of economic activities thus giving the residents an opportunity to be preoccupied in business. Moreover, it consists of major employers in the U.S such as Tenet healthcare, Corinthian colleges, United States postal services, County of orange and so forth. Additionally, it consists of recreational facilities that offer relaxation to the residents.
Dalmas's Manipulation of Pearls
Dalmas hides the genuine pearls from Lola to make her forget her husband. The beads gave her memories of her husband Stan Phillips who was deceased. Despite getting the real pearls, he decides to throw them in the ocean and comes with fake ones (Chandler, 28). However, Lola realizes that they are not the actual ones but instead assumes that Waldo sold the authentic ones. Dalmas is portrayed as a jealous man who would stop at nothing to keep Lola. He is seen as overprotective, charming, and calculating in his antics. The pearls were expensive and were given to her as a sign if love by her husband. They represented class and love that the two shared. However, Dalmas wanted to do away with that memory and class. He did this to take charge of Lola and possess her. On the contrary, Santa Ana has evolved into a place where morality and monogamous marriages exist.
Conclusion
The story of the Red Wind represents the use of symbolic speech to portray the lifestyle, practices, and beliefs of people in Santa Ana. Its use of the Red Wind means love, war, and blood. However, the love depicted here is the illicit love affairs that are common in the community. Additionally, the police are also corrupt and do not protect the citizens and are racial. The story reflects the current occurrences in some societies where moral decadence, corruption, exploitation, and racial segregation are the order of the day. The Santa Ana of today represents the opposite of the former where hope, harmony, and peace reigns. Systems and structures that promote development, cohesion, and plenty of opportunities are the order of the day.
Work Cited
Chandler, Raymond. The Raymond Chandler Papers: Selected Letters and Nonfiction, 1909-1959. Grove Press, 2002.
Chandler, Raymond. The World of Raymond Chandler: In His Own Words. Vintage, 2015.
Chandler, Raymond. The High Window: Classic Hard-Boiled Detective Fiction. Vol. 3. Penguin UK, 2005.
Chandler, Richard B., J. Andrew Royle, and David I. King. "Inference about density and temporary emigration in unmarked populations." Ecology 92.7 (2011): 1429-1435.
Santa Ana, Otto. "Did you call in Mexican? The racial politics of Jay Leno immigrant jokes." Language in Society 38.1 (2009): 23-45.
