The Black Dahlia Essay

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Raging, monstrous, twisted, and compelling are a few descriptions of James Ellroy’s novel, The Black Dahlia. The novel consists of two detectives, Bucky Bleichert and Lee Blanchard, who become encompassed with the murder of Elizabeth Short; violence and obsession become a focus within the story line, only to never have the case officially solved. Through specific expressions, readers of The Black Dahlia inherit the darkness of James Ellroy’s writing style.
Opening up the 40’s noir stand two tough guy detectives head-to-head in line for the LAPD sergeant position. With crime in full throttle, a gunfight with Negro Gangs erupted. Following the gunfight, the discovery of a nude, dismembered body established the start of disaster that consumes the detective’s lives. Ellroy describes the body as “mutilated,” “gouged,” and “gashed, ” leaving the reader feeling hunted (69). These specific words indicate Elizabeth Short, a young woman, was …show more content…

(Ellroy, 318) In chapter 35, Bucky finally admitted that Lee had been murdered by Madeline, the Black Dahlia had been forgotten, no case anymore, “No mention of the Black Dahlia case at all” (Ellroy 318). Simply gone. Not solved. Jennifer Latson wrote an article in TIME magazine, titled as “Black Dahlia Murder Case Hits 68 Years Unsolved”. Latson exclaimed that there had been several suspects, but the police were not able to pinpoint the murder case on anyone, “There’s never been a shortage of suspects in the Black Dahlia murder — but police have never been able to pin the crime on any of them” (Latson, Black Dahlia Murder Case Hits 68 Years Unsolved). The article not only included the background information about the case, but also inserted links to the list of suspects- which had an abundant amount names on the published

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