Indoor Spaces in Benjamin Black’s Christine Falls

Abstract

This article proposes the analysis of Benjamin Black’s noir novel, Christine Falls, in particular, the closed spaces that are described throughout the story. This is to demonstrate that these places hide the corruption of Dublin’s elite, and once the detective—Quirke—enters them, the secrets are unveiled. To do this, concepts about narrative space theory and characters’ perspective are used, as well as literary theory about detective fiction since all of them contribute to the creation of the particular atmosphere that characterizes noir fiction. Thus, after defining the theoretical basis of the analysis, different extracts from the novel that are key for the detective to solve the case are examined (these are focalized on the characters that have an essential role in the plot). Furthermore, some of the socio-historical conditions of 1950s Ireland are studied to understand the characters' actions and perceptions in the novel. To conclude, some reflections are made about the importance of detective fiction, particularly, noir fiction as a means of social criticism, since it exposes and questions the powerful spheres that constantly try to silence and undermine vulnerable groups within a city.