The Maltese Falcon

Guns in The Maltese Falcon symbolize information about the characters wielding them. Cairo is the first character to pull out a gun when he attempts to search Spade’s office for the falcon. His gun is a “short compact black pistol” (50), making it the only gun in the novel with compactness as its defining characteristic. When considered alongside the novel’s homophobic attitude that maligns Cairo’s effeminate mannerisms and way of dress, the small pistol symbolizes his lack of traditional masculinity. Gutman’s pistol is also small, suggesting a similar effeminacy, but it stands out as “an ornately engraved and inlaid affair of silver and gold and mother-of-pearl” (229). This reflects a man who is not only extremely wealthy and unafraid of violence but also someone who prioritizes aesthetics over function.

Wilmer, on the other hand, carries two large guns and is quick to show them off. Despite their size, rather than being a sign of his masculinity, they symbolize the fact he is self-conscious about his small stature and is overcompensating for it. This is most evident in his interactions with Spade, who is not in the least bit intimidated and sees through the boy’s façade. Spade, whose version of masculinity is most strongly endorsed by the text, needs no guns because he has the confidence and ability to operate without them.